The Hindu Business Line : Kochi port mulls `land use plan' for Willingdon

The Cochin Port Trust is conceptualising a perspective plan to re-design the entire Willingdon Island under a `land use plan' taking into account the long time requirements of the port.

The idea is to ensure optimum and efficient utilisation of space, as present areas in the wharves are heavily congested and lack sufficient storage space.

Mr N. Ramachandran, Chairman of the port, told Business Line that the port has got about 300 acres of vacant land in the southern end near Thevara. This can be utilised properly if we come out with a long-term vision for the next 50 to 100 years, he said.

The last development that had taken place in Willingdon Island was in 1930s in which the port was created. Later on there were not any significant developments in the entire area, he added.

The present plan, according to Mr Ramachandran, is to design a `business district' so that all the existing port users could be provided with space where they can construct godowns, warehouses etc on BOT basis.

The objective is to run a township exclusively for commercial purpose for creating office and warehousing capacity by utilising the space optimally.

Once such facility is created, the port can ask the present leaseholders in the north end to shift to the new area and the space occupied by them can be converted for various port related developments such as expansion of existing wharves including bonded areas, redesigning of roads for the smooth movement of trailers and relocation of other port activities.

This would help the port to differentiate the present cargo storage pattern such as tank farms in one area, liquid cargo storage and general cargoes in other areas, he said. "We intend to appoint a consultant to give shape of this vision and we are in the process of preparing some documents prior to the appointment of the consultant," the Chairman said.

By developing such a concept, it will help to avoid wastage of space in the port area and also ensure proper utilisation of area in order to provide the best infrastructure facilities of international standards, he added.

The port will give a time frame of 4 years for the consultants to prepare a blue print of the project.