The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Automatic storage machine to be set up at cargo complex

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Thursday, Nov 06, 2008
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Automatic storage machine to be set up at cargo complex

P.Oppili

CHENNAI: An automatic storage and retrieval machine will be installed at the cargo complex at the Chennai airport.

Airports Authority of India (AAI) officials said the new machinery would be introduced as part of the phase III expansion of the cargo complex. The ‘bhoomi pooja’ for the work was held on Wednesday.

Talking about the new machinery, the AAI sources said the machinery would help in proper storing of the cargo and it could also located it quickly. The cargo would be kept in iron baskets, which would be stacked at 10 levels from the ground. The baskets would have bar-coding facility. Using these numbers the cargo could be located easily and retrieved quickly. The machinery was capable handling cargo of nearly two tonnes, said the sources.

Already such a facility was in operation in the air cargo complex at Kolkata. The AAI in Chennai would place the orders soon for the machinery, which needed to be imported. The AAI authorities said the machinery was manufactured in several countries including Singapore. But, the authorities have not decided yet on the place from where the machinery should be imported. The cost of the machinery would be Rs 70 crore.

The cargo phase III expansion would be completed within 15 months from the date of starting the work and the automatic storage and retrieval system would be in place by the time the expansion work was completed at the complex, the AAI sources added.

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