ICD would take care of Pondy Exim needs

By Our Staff Reporter

PONDICHERRY, AUG. 10 . Mr. Navin. B. Chawla, Principal Secretary, Port, Pondicherry Government, has said the Inland Container Depot at the Uppalam port made good progress since February last. It is a dry port, an extension into the hinterland. Export and Import requirements could be taken care of at one point.

He told presspersons that trade and industry need not go over to Chennai or elsewhere for their Exim requirements. The ICD, dedicated to the nation on Thursday, would take care of the needs. Bonded trucking and transportation of containers and cargo would be done between Chennai and Pondicherry on the customer's doorstep. All value added services would also be provided in the ICD.

The ICD was a fulcrum of all Exim activities and would invite shipping lines, steamer agents, custom house agents and clearing agencies and provided transporter container repair and other facilities. The Administration was taking steps for conversion of the metre gauge rail line. There was also a proposal to encourage air cargo between Pondicherry and other places.

He said the CONCOR could see whether cargo could be pooled together to start air cargo connections in small aircraft between Pondicherry, Chennai, Bangalore, Bombay, Kolkatta and other destinations. Coastal ferrying of goods could also be considered between the Pondicherry port and Chennai and elsewhere.

Mr. P. V. R. Ramanan, Chief Commissioner of Customs, said the customs department would act as a facilitator in realising the purpose of the ICD.

The CONCOR has opened its 36th ICD in Pondicherry, according to the corporation's Chief General Manager, Mr. P. G. Thyagarajan.

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