KPCC president Ramesh Chennithala has lauded Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Union Shipping Minister G K Vasan for the Centre’s decision to relax the cabotage laws for the International Container Transshipment Terminal at Vallarpadam.
The decision will provide a gateway for development through the terminal in the state. With the entry of foreign vessels at Vallarpadam, there will be a quantum leap in cargo movement which is at present cornered by terminals situated in neighboring countries. The bulk of the cargo destined for India is being unloaded at Colombo and other ports now, he said, and called upon the State Government to expedite road development linking the terminal and related infrastructure.
Ramesh said that the demand for relaxation in cabotage laws was a long-pending one and Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and Union Ministers A K Antony and K V Thomas had been pressurising the Union Government for quite some time on this score.