KOCHI: The four-day-old strike by various lorry owners’ and workers’ unions demanding proper parking facilities for container trucks near Vallarpadam Transshipment Terminal in Kochi was called off on Tuesday after a temporary solution was found at a stakeholders’ meeting chaired by Ernakulam District Collector S Suhas here.
At the meeting, held at the Collectorate, it was decided that as a temporary measure, the container lorry parking lots at Arpitha Parking Terminal, Najco Parking Terminal and BPCL’s parking area can be fully utilised by trucks and trailers for one month. Lorries which still can’t find parking space can use one lane on Cochin Port’s LNG Terminal Road after paying a fee.
Cochin Port has been asked to make the necessary arrangements for one-lane parking on LNG Terminal Road from Wednesday. The port can charge a fee of Rs 120 for a 20-ft-long trailer for 24 hours and Rs 200 for 40-ft-long trailers. The port should make the necessary arrangements for collecting fees.
As per the request by LNG Petronet, parking is to be allowed 300 metres away from the boundary wall of its plant at Puthuvype. Arpitha and Najco parking terminals near Bolgatty can accommodate 45 trailers each, while BPCL’s parking area can accommodate 225 trailers/containers on its 4.5-acre facility. Following the temporary arrangement, container movement from Vallarpadam Transshipment Terminal, which was at a standstill since Saturday, resumed on Tuesday afternoon.
Representatives of all stakeholders, including Cochin Port, DP World, which operates Vallarpadam Terminal, BPCL, Kochi City Assistant Police Commissioners, Regional Transport Officers, NH officers and various container lorry trade union leaders attended the meeting.
‘Container truck parking needs a permanent solution’
Kochi: With the withdrawal of container truck strike, Cochin Steamer Agents Association (CSAA) has urged officials to find a permanent solution to the issue. “We are yet to receive the decisions of the meeting convened by the Collector. We will be very happy if a permanant solution is put forth. We don’t want to see another strike on the same issue within six months,” said M Krishnakumar, president, CSAA. “As per the new policy of the Union Government, lease value in a port has enormously increased. If the port can come up with a reduced lease value, even the employees association themselves can provide parking facility at cheaper rates,” he said.
Decisions