KOCHI: The construction of a dedicated terminal for
Lakshadweep-bound passenger and cargo ships at the Cochin port is likely to be delayed owing to
the Southern Naval Command’s refusal to issue a no-objection Certificate (NOC)
for it. The terminal is being constructed by the Cochin Port Trust on
the western side of Willingdon
Island, between the South
Coal Berth and the Workshop Jetty. The land was leased out by the Port Trust.
The proposed
terminal will have a 300-metre-long berth, a passenger waiting hall of about
1,100 square metres, a cargo storage area of about 400 square metres and a
vehicle parking area. The terminal will also have facilities such as prayer
halls, bank counter, tourist information counter, first aid centre, snack bar
and toilets. Though the project was planned at an estimated cost of `32
crore, it has now gone up to `5 crore.
The construction of
the berths has almost been completed. The construction of the terminal building
is in a stage where Naval sanction is mandatory.
According to the
Naval authorities, the NOC was denied due to safety reasons. “As per the
directions from the Director-General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), those who are
engaged in any kind of construction within a 20-kilometre radius of an
aerodrome should get an NOC from the aerodrome authorities.
In the case of
construction of the terminal, they have not even requested for the NOC. They
had just sent us an intimation that the construction had begun. They were
supposed to have obtained NOC for starting the construction.” The Naval
authorities, however, said that the issue would be considered based on its
merit.
About ten passenger
ships and several other cargo vessels are plying between Lakshadweep Islands
and Kochi and these vessels are being anchored at different berths of Cochin
Port due to lack of an exclusive berthing facility.
“The terminal was
envisaged as a dedicated terminal. It will be a boon for the Lakshadweep
islanders who have to depend on the mainland, which is about 185 miles away, for
higher education, medical purposes, food items, fuel and consumer goods,”
sources said.
(Courtesy: IBN live)
