KOCHI: Truck drivers here are in dire straits following the High Court directive and ensuing police drive against illegal parking of trucks along the Container Terminal Road. Compounding truckers’ woes, parking slots currently available in the city can barely accommodate a fourth of the multi-tonne cargo vehicles arriving here daily.
“The police have started cancelling the licence of drivers who park on Container Road. But the authorities ought to tell us where to park our vehicles. The drivers are under tremendous stress since they are unable to stop the vehicles even to answer nature’s call,” said Tomy Thomas, Cochin Container Carrier Owners’ Welfare Association secretary.
According to the truck drivers, there are 1,900 trucks and trailers operating from Vallarpadam Container Terminal and everyday around 1,400 trucks visit the port, either to load or unload containers. These vehicles have to wait for several hours for entering the terminal. Due to lack of parking space they are forced to park the vehicle by the roadside.
The port has provided a sprawling four acre parking slot near the BPCL petrol bunk which has space for upto 200 trucks. The parking slot at Bolgatty and IOCL provide parking space for another 150 trucks. According to the truck drivers, around 1,000 trucks are being parked by the roadside since there is no parking facility in Kochi.
“The conciliatory meeting convened by Ports Minister Kadannappally Ramachandran decided to denotify the 10 acre land in the custody of the Port Trust and develop it as a port terminal. The meeting was convened as the truck owners launched an indefinite strike demanding parking facility. But even two years on, there has been little follow-up action,” said Charles George, Trade Unions’ Coordination Committee convener.
A committee headed by the District Collector and comprising Cochin Port secretary, DP World, Container Owners’ Association and trade union representatives was set up to implement the order. However, there has been little action on the ground.
The Port Trust had floated two tenders inviting bids from parties to develop, operate and maintain a fully-fledged truck parking terminal and allied activities at Vallarpadam for 10 years under the Public-private partnership (PPP) mode.
The plan was to develop allied facilities like container repair, truck repair, canteen, ATM counter, restrooms, toilet , tyre retreading and spare parts shop. But there were few takers. Truck owners said it is the huge investment required for the purpose which drove away prospective investors.
“The Port Trust demanded `1 crore as upfront payment for each acre of land and `1.5 lakh monthly rent per acre. The bidders understood that this will force them charge a hefty sum and truckers will eventually run away.
The BPCL is collecting `300 as parking fee per truck for 24 hours. We demand a concessional rate, which is affordable,” said Tomy Thomas.
The truck owners have approached the Chief Minister and Port Trust chairperson M Beena demanding steps to provide adequate parking space for trucks at affordable rate.
Trade unions plan indefinite strike
A meeting of the Trade Union Coordination Committee will be convened in Kochi on Saturday. And the meeting will discuss steps to pressure the government and the Port Trust to provide adequate parking space to trucks arriving at Vallarpadam Terminal. The trade unions are planning to launch an indefinite strike from August 16, stopping all truck operations from Vallarpadam. “The port authorities and the police are harassing the drivers. Though the port had given its consent for parking the trucks on the LNG Terminal Road for the time being, the CISF personnel stopped the trucks from entering the stretch on Thursday. The police have threatened to cancel the licence of drivers if they park vehicles on Container Road. Under the circumstances, we are left wiith no option other than to launch a stir,” said Charles George.