The Hindu Business Line : Bad roads in Chennai hit movement of container vehicles

THE recent rains have badly affected roads in North Chennai. The worst affected is the Ennore Highway, a major link between the Chennai port and Ennore/Manali. There is hardly any road in the entire stretch from Royapuram (Chennai port's zero gate) to Thiruvottiyur, Manali and Ennore.

Movement of loaded container vehicles from Chennai port to Ennore and Manali on the Ennore highway, and vice versa, has been stopped. These vehicles take an alternative route through Thiruvottiyur. Only empty container vehicles take the highway to various warehouses in the region, according to an official of a container freight station (CFS) located in North Chennai.

There is also the danger of boxes falling off the vehicles, the official said.

According to the official, it takes twice the time to reach a CFS in North Chennai from the port. Every day about 600 boxes (both import and export) move in and out of the port to various CFSs located in North Chennai. Out of the total 16 CFSs in and around the city seven are in North Chennai, he said.

"North Chennai is critical for the entire shipping industry. And, with bad roads it is very difficult for the industry to operate in the region," according to an industry source. In certain section, mud is being put to top up the surface, which is creating problems for the vehicles, the source said.

Despite heavy rains and flooding in North Chennai in the last few days all CFSs in the area were functioning, according to a trade notice issued by the National Association of Container Freight Stations. There were apprehensions among the trade that the CFSs were not working due to rains, according to an industry source.