The Hindu Business Line : Truck terminal near Paradip

More than 2,000 trucks carrying iron ore, chrome ore and concentrates, all for exports, enter the port every day, leading to congestion and other problems. Henceforth, these vehicles will be made to come to the terminal first before they are allowed to enter the docks.

Spread over 11 acres of land (8.5 acres has been developed so far), off National Highway 5A, which links the Paradip port with Chandikhol located on NH 6, the terminal can accommodate around 500 vehicles at any point of time. It is being built by Paradip Port Road Company, a SPV floated by the Paradip Port Trust and the National Highway Authority of India.

However, the day-to-day running of the terminal is being left to the local people, following a public private partnership model. To start with, an agency of ex-servicemen will oversee the operation. Subsequently, the local Panchayat, the district administration and the transport department of the Orissa Government will be involved, it is learnt.

An estimated Rs 30 lakh have been spent so far to build the terminal and make it ready for operation. However, the total cost will be more, according to Paradip Port Trust sources. It is, however, hoped that the proper functioning of the terminal will help ease congestion on NH 5A, while boosting throughput of the port at the same time. It should now be possible to regulate the movement of trucks to curb rampant indiscipline among their operators who would often park their vehicles on the Mahanadi Bridge causing damage to the bridge, apart from creating congestion on the road, said the sources.