New forum seeks rejuvenating business on Willingdon Island in Kochi

Thuramugha Samrakshana Samithi calls for augmenting income of Cochin Port Trust

The newly-formed Thuramugha Samrakshana Samithi, a combination of trade unions cutting across political parties, has called for rejuvenating business on the Willingdon Island with a view to augmenting the income for ports even as the port authority is straddled with the burden of spending a substantial sum on maintenance dredging for the shipping channel.

C.D. Nandakumar of Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) and one of the founders of the Samithi, headed by the Kochi Mayor, said on Monday that the only way forward for the Cochin Port Trust was to utilise its vast land holding for commercial activities that would cater to the growing needs in areas such as hospitality industry. The port could also utilise its land resources for establishing industrial parks, godown complexes and tourism centres that could attract investments in various areas.

According to the Samithi, multinational corporations had cornered the benefits of operating the container terminals at major ports across the country, including in Kochi. The governments had made huge investments for such facilities. Even maintenance dredging in Kochi is being done at the expense of the Cochin Port Trust.