Lack of infra and officials at Port leads to decline in container traffic

Chennai

This is causing concerns, especially after the rise of the private operators in its backyard – Adani Group terminal at Ennore and the small but fast-growing port at Krishnapatnam in Nellore. 

From key road projects getting shelved to a crippling shortage of manpower in crucial departments, the Chennai Port is besieged with infrastructural shortcomings. These nagging deficiencies have taken a toll on its health, as the inordinate delays and severe congestion have led to a reduction in the number of trailers carrying containers in and out of the port. 

Industry sources said that the Container Freight Stations (CFSs) here receive around 3,000 heavy vehicles a day, delivering or carrying goods to other southern states like Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, and also within the state. “However, these stations used to receive more than 4,500 containers five years ago. Due to the inordinate delay in granting clearance, around 1,000 vehicles shifted their base to Krishnapatnam Port,” said V G Jayakumar, committee member, All India Motors Transport Congress. 

There are about 200 CFSs dotting the Ponneri highroad, each spread across 20 to 50 acres of land where the containers could be stored. Despite this, there still are hundreds of trailer trucks lined up along the stretch between Manali and Minjur. 

One of the biggest issues hampering the smooth processing of container traffic was the shortage of Customs officials, including Examining Officers, Appraising Officers and Preventing Officers, said S Beski, an industry veteran who worked with a leading private shipping agency as a Port Shipping Agent and Clearing and Forwarding Agent. 

“Only 40 percent of customs staff are available at the CFSs, which reduces processing speed to a crawl. If the CFSs have enough staff, each clearance would take only 15-20 minutes,” said Beski, recalling various instances that he has witnessed first-hand where vehicles are halted for an entire day due to lack of officials to process the papers and grant clearance. 

Having halted along the Ennore High Road for hours together, N Kabilan, a container lorry driver, couldn’t agree more. “We have already waited for a day but could not move forward even an inch. And due to the restrictions in place for heavy vehicles entering city limits, police officers force us to stop if we drive the vehicle during morning hours,” he added. 

According to S Yuvaraj, the president of Tamil Nadu Lorry Owners Federation, drivers like Kabilan are forced to stop their vehicles at unauthorised places near the port, like Royapuram and Kasimedu. “Vehicles are stopped along various bypass roads as well, leading to accidents sometimes. If Chennai Port – Maduravoyal elevated expressway, for which the foundation was laid 12 years ago, was completed, it would have reduced congestion to a large extent,” Yuvaraj said. 

These deficiencies that are affecting the functioning of Chennai Port are particularly significant now, as the Krishnapatnam Port in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh has been increasing its share of business in the recent past. “If the situation continues, Chennai Port will lose its sheen. Officials should apply corrective measures to improve the infrastructure in and around the port, including proper road connectivity like the completion of the Port-Maduravoyal project,” added Jayakumar, All India Motors Transport Congress committee member. 

A senior CMDA official admitted they have been receiving scores of petitions from container lorry owners associations in this regard. “We are making efforts to locate places near the port or important bypass roads to decongest the traffic of containers,” said the official.

Visit news.dtnext.in to explore our interactive epaper!

Download the DT Next app for more exciting features!

Click here for iOS

Click here for Android