The AAI Cargo Logistics and Allied Services Company, a subsidiary of AAI, is looking at developing the air cargo facility in Coimbatore in the short, medium, and long term.
Keku Bomi Gazder, the Chief Executive Officer, of the company held meetings with officials and the industry here on Monday in this regard.
“Cargo movement from and to Coimbatore is seeing 15 % to 20 % growth every year,” he told The Hindu. The company is looking at potential for investments here to give a boost to air cargo movement.
He told the industry that the AAI and the company are looking at development of Coimbatore cargo facility for three, five, and 10 years.
Automation of cargo handling facility will be implemented here by the end of November. the AAICLAS will work towards bringing freight carriers to Coimbatore airport which will attact businesses.
With exporting hubs such as Tirupur and Karur in the vicinity and substantial volume of engineering goods exported from Coimbatore, the potential is high here, said a senior official of the Customs.
According to the clearing and forwarding agents of Coimbatore, only persishables and low quantity cargo go by air.
Bonded truck facility is available if adequate volume is there. The agents asked for dedicated bonded truck facility on a daily basis even for low volume, especially for Chennai and Bengaluru. The main problem in Coimbatore is the delay in runway expansion.
That should be expedited to have better air connectivity and thus handling of more air cargo.
AAI should take up with custodian early release of drawback.
Chairman of CII, Coimbatore Zone, S. Narayanan, automation is handling cargo and speedy clearance by Customs are the main needs of the industry.
Representatives of various industrial associations took part in the meeting organised by CII.
