Kochi to get a truck parking terminal

Kochi: In its efforts to provide better facilities to the truck operators and workers, the Kochi port has proposed to set up a new truck parking terminal in Willingdon Island.

The proposal in this regard comes in the wake of a long standing demand for proper facilities for parking of trucks and amenities for the drivers and other employees of cargo handling trucks, the Port Chairman, Mr N. Ramachandran, said.

The port, he said, had entered into an understanding with its users such as the Cochin Custom House Agents Association, Cochin Steamer Agents Association, Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Cochin Chamber of Commerce and Industry to set up a company by name: Willingdon Island Parking Yard (P) Ltd, to develop a full fledged truck parking terminal in the area.

Phase I

In the first phase, the terminal will come up in 5.5 acre land near Vathuruthy Railway crossing. The terminal will have adequate facilities for rest rooms, public amenities, canteen and other essential services. There will also be repair facilities for vehicles as well as weighbridges etc. Parking in this terminal will be on chargeable basis and the details are being worked out.

Parking fee

Meanwhile, the port has also decided to collect a parking fee for all commercial vehicles entering the port area beyond the toll gates. However, such parking fee will not be collected from trucks for the first six hours after entry at the toll gate.

This means that if the trucks pick up or collect their cargo within six hours and go out, there will be no parking fee for that period.

Any additional stay within the port premises beyond six hours will be chargeable on an hourly basis. This system is also expected to speed up cargo handling operations and avoid unnecessary idle time.

For the time being, this new regulatory system will be applicable to commercial vehicles only. The new regulations will come into effect from November 25.