Poor facilities hinder exports: industry body
Panaji: At a time when the state government is aiming to boost exports, representatives from various sectors on Tuesday highlighted again the inadequate logistical infrastructure at the Mormugao Port Authority (MPA), pointing out that no action has been taken by the port authorities despite repeated complaints.
Business leaders said that cargo storage is an unaddressed issue at the port due to congestion and shortage of space at berths 10 and 11.
Furthermore the trucks and wagons, which are used to move cargo, are overloaded and have an open top.
The other hurdles at the port that they highlighted include difficulties in unloading and loading at berths 8 and 9 when the cargo arrives by rail.
Five members of the cargo committee of the Goa Chamber of Commerce & Industry (GCCI) met the MPA’s new chairman N. Vinodkumar and narrated to him the problems faced by exporters in transporting goods.
They maintained that various representations have been made to the port authorities to start movement of cargo from the MPA. However, due to poor facilities, companies are forced to transport their cargo by road to the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) in Mumbai.
The GCCI cargo committee demanded a reduction in the transport cess of `250 levied by the port.
According to the GCCI, the port can earn higher revenues from exporters if it lowers this transport cess.
The committee members also asked to restart diesel facilities for barges, tugs, launches and other vessels at the port which were discontinued due to the closure of mining operations.
They also sought a timeline on developing international and domestic cruise terminals at the port to boost tourism, as well as setting up a ferry terminal.
The members further asked for a status report on the construction of a four-lane road from Varunapuri to Sada junction including a flyover from Gate 9.
Previously, an export strategy report by the FICCI had also highlighted the inadequate infrastructure at the MPA, and stated that inadequate logistical infrastructure at the port in Vasco is a major bottleneck.
The report had said the port requires more feeder vessels, reefer plug points for sea feed exporters, additional berths for foreign vessels, and customs clearance at night hours to promote exports. It had also revealed that Goa’s share in India’s overall exports is negligible, despite the availability of all modes of transport, viz., water, air, rail and road.
The GCCI committee members who met with the MPT chairman were Chandrakant Gawas, Manubhai Thakker, Sanjay Amonkar, Sanket Kaskar and Atul Jadhav.