The Hindu Business Line : JAAC opens second cargo complex in Bangalore amid protests

THE Joint Air Cargo Complex (JACC), being run by the consortium consisting of HAL, Container Corporation and the Mysore Sales International Ltd (MSIL), today opened its second cargo complex exclusively for export consignments here under the shadow of protest by Air Cargo Agents Association of India (ACAAI) over the cargo handling rates charged by the JACC.

While JACC justified the rates, ACAAI argued that Rs 1.85 per kilogram was higher than the rates prevailing in other airports.

Mr K.N. Ashok Kumar, Chief Executive Officer of JACC, said his agency had to follow norms set by the regulatory agencies and was thus charging for value added services. In other airports, he maintained, facilities such as x-ray screening of the cargo and certification were not provided for the customers by the handling agency.

He said in other airports only the X-ray machine was provided, while for the rest of the services the airlines had to make their own arrangements. Similar practice was being followed in the MSIL's own cargo complex located in the HAL Airport here, where it charges only 75 paise per kilo.

ACAAI, Bangalore, however, argued that while in all airports the rates were uniform, only JACC charged higher rates and ACAAI wanted it to be lowered. It had also threatened to boycott the JACC facility, if the demand was not met.

The new dedicated export complex would help JACC in streamlining its handling operations as it was bunching both export and import cargo in its existing complex. Together, the two warehouse complexes could hold about 50,000 tonnes of cargo.

With Bangalore emerging as a major manufacturing and IT hub, the JACC has projected a 20 per cent growth in volume of cargo handling. Outbound cargo accounted for 55 per cent of the total consignments handled by the agency.

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