Financial Daily from THE HINDU group of publications
Friday, Apr 14, 2006
Financial Daily from THE HINDU group of publications Friday, Apr 14, 2006 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Logistics - Railways Industry & Economy - Exports & Imports Container movement on KDS-Nepal ICD route hit Santanu Sanyal
Contentious issues An estimated 150 loaded containers, lying in the warehouse, await evacuation. Destuffing within the warehouse is not possible as private contract workers normally deployed for the job, are unable to turn up at work. Loaded containers cannot be reached at the consignees' doorsteps because no transport is available.
Kolkata , April 13 Rail movement of containers between Kolkata Dock System (KDS) and Birganj inland clearance depot (ICD) in Nepal has remained suspended for the past few days as a consequence of the ongoing strike in the Himalayan Kingdom. The Container Corporation of India (Concor), responsible for transportation of the containers on the route, thus is in a fix.
Stranded
One rake bound for Birganj ICD, carrying 70 loaded boxes containing imports for Nepal is stranded at Raxaul, the last Indian railway station on the India-Nepal border in north Bihar. Another rake carrying about 2,400 tonnes of rapeseed and peas is held up at Jhajha, a railway station in Bihar on route to Birganj, and the loading of yet another rake at Concor's terminal located within the KDS is not being undertaken in view of the disturbed condition in Nepal. As a result, nearly 100 boxes, all containing imports for Nepal, are lying in the dock premises. Concor sources indicate that there is a move to take the rake detained at Raxaul to the ICD on Thursday itself. What has been upsetting Nepalese importers is that the containers that have already arrived at Birganj ICD can be neither destuffed nor taken out of the ICD. As a result, congestion is building up within the ICD warehouse. An estimated 150 loaded containers, lying in the warehouse, await evacuation. Destuffing within the warehouse is not possible as private contract workers normally deployed for the job, are unable to turn up at work in view of the strike. Loaded containers cannot be reached at the consignees' doorsteps because no transport is available.
Other arrangements
Himalayan Terminals Private Ltd, the joint venture company that runs the ICD, has urged importers to make their own arrangements for destuffing of containers and evacuation of the consignments but the appeal has gone unheeded. Nepal being a land-locked country, its imports and exports, in fact more imports than exports, are routed through the Kolkata port. There is now a direct rail connection between Kolkata port and the Birganj ICD. The construction of the rail link was funded by India, while that of the ICD by the World Bank.
More losses
If the current situation persists, the Kolkata port authorities fear that there will be more accumulation of containers carrying imports for Nepal within the dock area , while HTPL authorities fear that its loss, currently estimated Rs 5 crore, will further increase.
More Stories on : Politics | Railways | Exports & Imports
Article E-Mail :: Comment :: Syndication :: Printer Friendly Page
|
Stories in this Section |
|
The Hindu Group: Home | About Us | Copyright | Archives | Contacts | Subscription Group Sites: The Hindu | Business Line | Sportstar | Frontline | The Hindu eBooks | The Hindu Images | Home |
Copyright © 2006, The
Hindu Business Line. Republication or redissemination of the contents of
this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of
The Hindu Business Line
|