Despite a new parking facility getting ready close to the International Container Transshipment Terminal (ICTT) at Vallarpadam, container lorries are reportedly skipping the facility, even as sources in the Trade Union Coordination Committee, representing truck crew and drivers, allege that the facility is not yet fully ready.
Meanwhile, official sources said nearly 80% of the facility was complete, and that it would finally have the capacity to park around 200 lorries at a time.
They added that only 20 to 30 lorries parked in the area a day though space was available for accommodating more. The number had even gone up to 70 lorries a day, but it dwindled soon after.
For the record, container lorry owners had gone on an indefinite strike in July after the District Collector banned parking of lorries along Container Road, which links NH 47 from Kalamassery to the ICTT. It is estimated that around 750 lorries serve the ICTT a day, and they are mostly parked along Container Road. The Cochin Port Trust had also come out with a clarification, saying it had a parking facility on Willingdon Island since 2008, which was operated by the Steamer Agents’ Association.
Union demand
The Trade Union Coordination Committee has reiterated its demand that more area be developed on Vallarpadam island after denotifying close to 10 acres in the Special Economic Zone from which the ICTT operates.
No action has been taken to build another facility, trade union sources alleged.
