Date:23/12/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/12/23/stories/2008122360150500.htm

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Lorry operators threaten to intensify stir

Staff Reporter

Meet highlighted problems posed by poor condition of roads leading to port

— Photo: S. R. Raghunathan

STRIKING SCENE: Containers that keep piling up at the Chennai Port on Monday.

CHENNAI: Trailer and container lorry operators working out of Chennai Port threatened to intensify their ongoing strike if the National Highways Authority of India did not meet their demand for repairing the roads in north Chennai immediately.

At a meeting organised by the Chennai Custom House Agents Association (CCHAA) here on Monday, members of trade bodies and transport operators highlighted the problems posed by poor condition of roads leading to the port. The transporters have suspended operations since Saturday night.

R. Sugumar, president, Chennai, Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur, Lorry, Tipper, Trailer, Tanker and Van Owner’s Association, said the Tiruvottiyur Ponneri Panchetti (TPP) Road, Ennore Expressway, Manali Oil Refinery Road and northern portion of the Inner Ring Road from Madhavaram to Manali had been rendered worse after the rains last month.

He said the patchwork done after the rain was grossly inadequate to withstand the heavy traffic movement on these roads. “We want the roads to be repaired for now, but our main demand is that the Ennore Manali Road Infrastructure Project be completed without any further delay,” he said. G. Raghu Shankar of Hindustan Chamber of Commerce said their members had met all officials and ministers concerned to press for better roads but there was no positive outcome yet. He said that in the last two years there had been over 200 fatal accidents on these roads. “Since 2001, container traffic at the Chennai Port has trepled, but the roads servicing them have only narrowed,” he said.

Expressing concern over trade getting crippled, G. Vishwanathan of the Chennai Steamer Agents’ Association said that import export trade was suffering heavily and containers were piling up at the port terminal.

He said the port terminal only had enough space to accommodate containers till Thursday.

CCHAA President P. S. Krishnan said that they held this meeting as the Customs was concerned about the steep decline in its revenue caused by the ongoing strike launched by the vehicle operators.