Erode-Nagpur rail freight corridor to help Tuticorin Port Services

Authorities of the Tuticorin Port Trust have suggested that the railways create a ‘backbone freight corridor’ connecting Erode with Nagpur, to facilitate goods movement from central India to the port.

The proposal is made in a ‘business plan’ prepared by the TPT for the overall development of trade volumes through the port.

A. Subbiah, Deputy Chairman, Tuticorin Port Trust, said that such a corridor would help expand the hinterland of the port beyond Bangalore. The dedicated rail corridor would reduce the time delays in transportation of goods to and from the port, which was essential to attract more users here.

Mr. Subbiah said a corridor between Erode and Nagpur would help the Chennai and Kochi ports too in terms of augmenting their export-import trade.

At the Tuticorin port, he said that inner harbour development works, including the creation of a coal berth, the conversion of Berth 8 into a container terminal, the construction of Berth 9, the structural upgrading of the coal jetty and the dredging of the basin to cater to 12.8 m draught vessels would be carried out at an estimated cost of Rs. 961.75 crore.