Kerala - Kochi   

Lakshwadeep to have exclusive facility at port

Staff Reporter

MoU may be signed between Port Trust and island administration

KOCHI: The more than 60,000 people in the Lakshwadeep islands stand to gain from a proposal by the island administration to build an exclusive facility for servicing its passenger and cargo vessels at the Kochi Port.

It is learnt that a memorandum of understanding is likely to be signed between the Cochin Port Trust and the Island Administration soon for the purpose.

The Port Trust will provide land for the facility on long-term lease and execute the building of the berth for the Lakshwadeep vessels.

A 300-metre berth will be built south of the Mattancherry wharf for the purpose. The Board of Trustees of the Kochi Port at its last meeting discussed the proposal, it is learnt. Once the proposal is finalised, it will also have to be approved by the Union Government.

Though the berth will be an exclusive facility for the Lakshwadeep island vessels, it is likely to be used to service other vessels when there are no vessels from the island.

Sharing of the money accruing from such services between the Port Trust and the island administration will be finalised for the purpose.

Bunkering facility

Bunkering facility and passenger amenities now lacking at the open wharves that are provided for the Lakshwadeep vessels now will be taken care of with the building of the new facility. There will also be a passenger hall.

Since there is no exclusive facility for the Lakshwadeep vessels now, often shifting of vessels and delays are experienced.

The building of the new facility comes in tandem with the proposal by the Lakshwadeep island administration to acquire more vessels during the current Plan period to meet its ferry service needs.

During the monsoon season, the island administration plies two vessels - Tipu Sultan and Bharat Seema - for the passenger ferry services. There are five vessels that service the islands during fair weather.

Normally there are sailings between the Lakshwadeep islands and the mainland once in five days now and the journey takes between 16 and 18 hours. The building of the captive facility will be a big relief for the passengers from the islands.

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