CHENNAI: Traffic snarls on the Grand Southern Trunk (GST) road could soon be a thing of the past as the number of container lorries on the busy road would come down with the introduction of bi-weekly cargo service between Chennai Port and Puducherry in the next few days.
The busy road is a nightmare for travellers, especially during weekends, as buses, bikes and container lorries travel wheel-to-wheel. With Puducherry as a satellite port to Chennai, this will help ease congestion on roads caused by container lorries originating from the Chennai port as well as from Cuddalore, Villupuram, Tiruvannamalai, Tiruchy, Salem, Ariyalur and Perambalur, which falls in Puducherry port’s hinterland. Cargo from these places has to move through Tindivanam.
Global Logistics Solutions India Private Limited chief executive officer Jude Vallabhdas, who is offering the container services through the vessel M V Hope Seven, said from Tindivanam it takes only 40 minutes for a cargo vehicle to reach the Puducherry port.
However, from Tindivanam to Chennai, which is around 160 km, it takes a very long time due to the traffic. As a result, there is a possibility that shipments will be diverted to Puducherry port. He also said the movement of cargo from Puducherry port to the ports in Chennai will be 25% cheaper than by road.
This move will also benefit Chennai port, as its handling capacity will go up by 600 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) a month, said a Chennai port official. The idea of setting up a satellite port is to unload cargo bound for industries in Central TN in Puducherry and complete customs formalities and the industry can take possession of the imported cargo, said the official.
The 67-m long MV Hope Seven will handle general cargo besides there will be reefer containers catering to pharma products, said Vallabhdas. He said the services will reduce the carbon footprint besides saving money and time of the traders. It would also help multinational companies get carbon credit for moving cargo through the sea.
“The carbon emission is only 5% through the sea and 70% through the road,” he said. The vessel is currently undergoing maintenance in Puducherry and is expected to start operation soon, said Vallabhdas.
The services are being offered after Chennai Port Trust and Puducherry port signed a memorandum of understanding in 2017 for the diversion of cargo to the latter and sharing of revenue. It will take 12 hours to travel from Chennai to Puducherry, said a port official. It will make eight voyages to Puducherry in a month.