Kochi port implements community system

Kochi: Based on the initiative of the Shipping Ministry and the Indian Ports Association, the Cochin Port Trust has implemented the Port Community System (PCS) for transacting vessel related and container related information.

PCS has been designed for secured exchanges of documents and information electronically between the stakeholders involved in the maritime transport and logistics chain including the trading partners and the Government agencies.

PCS is expected to provide global visibility and access to the central database to all its stakeholders through internet-based interfaces, Mr N. Ramachandran, Chairman of the Port, told reporters here on Tuesday.

All major ports in India are implementing the PCS to provide a single window system for the port user community in India. With the implementation of PCS, the port users need not submit manual documents with regard to vessel related and container related matters, he added.

Vallarpadam project

Meanwhile, the land acquisition process for completing the Rs 246-crore railway line connectivity for the proposed ICTT project at Vallarpadam has commenced on Tuesday with the Port Trust Chairman handing over three cheques amounting to Rs 30 lakh to the people who have surrendered their land.

Compensation

The Centre has sanctioned Rs 50 crore as compensation for around 230 families that are facing displacement for the construction of the 9-km railway line from Edappally to Vallarpadam project site.

He also said that the port had also sanctioned Rs 2.5 crore for the development of land identified by the District Administration in two places for the rehabilitation of the people.

Speaking on the occasion, the District Collector, Mr A.P.M. Mohammed Haneesh, said that 90 per cent of the land acquisition required for the national highway connectivity to the proposed transhipment terminal site at Vallarpadam has also been completed and it is hoped that both the rail and road connectivity to the terminal site will be completed by April 2009.

The Collector also pointed out that people who are not willing to give up their land would be given one more opportunity for accepting the financial and rehabilitation package formulated by the Kerala Government.