The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : 2 new sheds to store imports nearing completion

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Mar 10, 2007
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

2 new sheds to store imports nearing completion

P. Oppili

NEW STORAGE FACILITY: K.P.K. Nadh, Deputy General Manager (Cargo) of the Airports Authority of India, explaining to C. Rajan, Commissioner of Customs, about the progress of work on the new sheds on Friday. — Photo: A. Muralitharan

CHENNAI : Two new processing sheds to store imported goods, each measuring 1,800 sq metres, will be inaugurated soon at the air cargo complex.

The construction of the sheds began in January and the work was making good progress.

It would be ready by March 15, said Airport Director Dinesh Kumar. The sheds are being constructed at a cost of Rs. 7 crore, he said.

In November last, a similar shed with equal space had been commissioned at the airport. With the completion of the two new processing sheds, the goods could be stored safely in a total of 54,000 sq metres of area.

Mr. Dinesh Kumar said: "With the increase in cargo, both import and export, there is need for providing adequate space to store the goods. When the sheds are ready it will help in proper storage and processing of international cargo and it will also ease the congestion of goods at the place."

Similarly, the building for the II phase of integrated cargo complex for export is being built adjacent to the existing cargo complex, which measures 9,500 sq metres. The new cargo complex would come up in an area of 5,500 sq metres, he said.

An elevated transfer vehicle (ETV) is provided at the existing cargo complex with two loading stations. Each loading station has six bases. At the new cargo complex one more ETV with a loading station and six bases would be provided.

Work on the second phase of the cargo complex began in January this year and it will be completed by December. The new facility is being built at a cost of Rs. 40 crore.

C. Rajan, Commissioner of Customs (Airport), said there had been a considerable increase in the number of shipping bills received at the export cargo area compared to last year.

During the period between April 2005 and March 2006 nearly 1.96 lakh bills were filed. In the corresponding period the following year it reached 2.09 lakh bills, which showed a seven per cent growth.

Mr. Rajan said an eight per cent growth was recorded on the import side also. From April 2005 to March 2006 a total of 1.83 lakh import bills and in the corresponding period this year nearly 1.98 lakh bill of entries were filed, resulting in a growth of 8.4 per cent, Mr Rajan added.

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