Date:15/09/2004 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2004/09/15/stories/2004091506110300.htm

Karnataka - Belgaum

Inland container depot inauguration today

By Our Staff Correspondent

BELGAUM, SEPT. 14. The long-pending demand for an inland container depot is set to be realised with the commissioning of the depot at Desur, 13 km from here, on Wednesday.

This will be the first such depot in north Karnataka.

According to G.K. Pillai, Chief Commissioner of Central Excise, Mysore Zone, Mysore, traders and manufacturers will get all help from the Central Excise office in Belgaum.

He told presspersons here on Tuesday that over 10,000 containers would move in and out of the Desur depot every year. The city-based aluminium manufacturer, Indal Ltd., alone would be using about 6,000 containers while the paper industry in Dandeli could use about 2,000 containers a year.

The iron and steel industry and iron ore exporters should take advantage of the facility, he said.

Dr. Pillai, who held a meeting with trade and industry representatives here on Tuesday, will formally inaugurate the depot on Wednesday.