The Hindu Business Line : Falcon Infrastructures begins second phase of expansion

FALCON Infrastructures Ltd, which set up a modern truck terminal at Kalamassery near here, has commenced its second phase of expansion that will elevate the project, an auxiliary unit, to the upcoming Vallarpadam International Container Transhipment terminal.

The company is investing an additional investment of Rs 5 crore into the second phase that will have facilities such as container freight station for stuffing and de-stuffing, container stacking area, warehouse with multi-rack facility and a container maintenance and fumigation centre.

The second phase development programme is expected to be completed within a year, Mr N.A. Mohammed Kutty, Managing Director of Falcon Infrastructures, said at a press meet on Thursday.

The Falcon complex is located alongside the proposed road from Kalamassery to Vallarpadam, which is only 8 km away from the terminal project site.

The State Industries Minister, Mr V.K. Ebrahim Kunju, will perform the stone-laying ceremony on Sunday.

The Rs 15-crore truck terminal, the first approved project at the Global Investors Meet in 2003, provides parking facility to 150-200 trucks on a daily basis. Set up in a sprawling 25 acres of land, the terminal is equipped for scientific parking of 1,000 trucks at a time by offering computerised control of trucks including arrival and departure.

Other facilities offered include petrol/diesel pump, 100-tonne weighbridge, dormitory to accommodate 250 people, dhaba etc.

The Managing Director said that turn system for trucks would also be introduced in association with the Kerala State Lorry Owners Federation and Cochin Lorry Agents Union. The turn system is being brought into practice by standardising the freight rate from Kochi to various destinations. The system will be introduced in Kerala for the first time with the co-operation of Lorry Owners Federations of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra, he said.

The company is also implementing an insurance scheme for loads carried under the turn system. As per the insurance scheme, each truck load will be covered up to Rs 2 lakh for a premium of Rs 100. The scheme is being implemented in association with the United India Insurance Company, he added.

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