The Kochi Port's revised land utilisation plan is expected to give Willingdon Island a major facelift and make it a hub for maritime trade. The basic objective of the revision, according to the Shipping Ministry's guidelines, is to free the cargo area at the north end of the island, the centre of shipping business, and to establish a business district at the southern end.

This is certain to a go a long way in the commercial development of the area in a planned manner, believe port officials.

New plan for land use

The Ministry has directed all the major ports to revise their land use plans for port-related activities. Future allotments of land will be based on this land-utilisation plan. Under the revised plan, the major focus will be on reclaiming the land leased out to various companies in the north of the island. The land owned by the Port Trust in the island also includes 233.34 hectares of reclaimed area.

The master plan of Kochi port envisages setting up a free-trade zone on a 105-acre plot; upgrading the ship-repair facility into a most modern one by a private party; developing Q-8 and Q-9 berths, where the Rajiv Gandhi container terminal had functioned earlier, as an automated general cargo terminal on a build-operate-transfer basis; and setting up a tea trade park in association with the Tea Board and the Tea Trade Association of India.

When all these projects materialise, they are expected to provide more jobs for tens of thousands, the official added.

Out of the total area of 385.82 hectares at the island, the port management has leased 76.53 hectares to Government, quasi-Government and private organisations for port-related activities. After the shifting of the container-terminal operations to Vallarpadam, the focus is on developing Ernakulam wharf as a major bulk cargo consolidation centre in south India.

The Cochin Port Trust has under its jurisdiction about 886.046 hectares at various locations: Willingdon Island (385.82 hectares), Bolghatty (16.67 hectares), Vallarpadam (163.637 hectares), Puthuvypeen (308.552 hectares), Ernakulam (5.447 hectares), Fort Kochi (2.06 hectares), and Palluruthy (3.86 hectares).

Mechanisation

The Land Use Plan of the Port 2012-42 is basically a blueprint for utilising the reclaimed area of 233.44 hectares and 152.38 hectares on the south end of Willingdon Island, which is partly reclaimed; 5.44 hectares on Ernakulam mainland and 2.06 hectares around Fort Kochi.

The Port Trust has already invited bids for the mechanisation of Q8-Q9 berths where 12.5-m draft is available for handling dry bulk cargo and for Q-5 berth for setting up bulk cement handling plant. It has been decided not to renew the agreements under which the land was allotted to companies for port-related activities.

The lease agreements of land available on the northern side, especially those near the Ernakulam and Mattanchery wharves, will be renewed to only those who can assure the port that they could bring in cargo.

Those who will have to surrender land will be relocated at a most-modern business complex proposed to be built in the middle of the Willingdon Island.

Companies can hire built-up area at the complex which will have all required facilities such as banks and star-rated hotels. The land reclaimed from lessees will be utilised for setting up modern storage facilities.

The port's plan takes into account the height restrictions imposed on construction of buildings and cargo-handling equipment because of the presence of the naval airport.

Other plans for development also include a world-class cruise terminal on 1.3 hectares at BTP jetty and bulk cargo storage facility on 14 hectares.

The revised plan aims at optimum utilisation of the available land for various port-related activities.

>sajeevkumar@thehindu.co.in

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