Long wait for LPG over as Kochi to witness its import terminal
The proposed Multi-User Proposed Terminal would see its light, as the Kochi port terminal and the Indian Oil Corporation are on the verge of signing an agreement for the same. This would help in importing cooking gas into the Kerala market via Kochi. This decision would help in putting an end to the states reliance on tanker 'lorries' for transporting fuel via road from Mangalore. Movement of tankers have always been a major threat as there have always been number of accidents reported every year. The proposal for building the same has been pending for a very long time. The current decision is that the port authorities have agreed to build the terminal for IOC at a cost of around Rs 180 crore. The terminal would be used by both the entities through the year. The project proposal said that 30,000 tonnes of LPG was being imported via Mangalore to different destinations through roads. The average time being 12 hours to reach various places in Kerala. A total of 37 acres have been approved for the terminal. However the project was pending for a long time as the IOC approved the same during the year 2009. The terminal would be close to the LNG terminal on Puthuvypee Island. It is also noted that the Port authorities are open to the idea of using about 102 acres for building tank farms for storage of imported LPG. However the State government interceded in 2011 to resuscitate the project, and Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation (KSIDC) was appointed as the nodal agency for reviving the same.
July 25, 2015 | 4:46 pm IST.
to success.