Peliyagoda cargo village to begin work
To ease port congestion, enhance efficiency:
Indunil HEWAGE
Construction work on the Peliyagoda cargo village will begin shortly.
This will ease congestion at the Colombo Port.
“We have received clearance from the Urban Development Authority and
plan to build a rail track to transport cargo from the Port to
Peliyagoda.
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Dr. Priyath
Bandu
Wickrama |
“All deliveries will take place at the Peliyagoda cargo village after
completion of construction work,” Sri Lanka Ports Authority Chairman
Dr.Priyath Bandu Wickrama said.
With the aim to improve berth and yard production, more rubber tyred
gantry will be brought into the port.
The Road Development Authority has also been instructed to construct
a flyover at the Ingurukade junction.
“At the moment the traffic system provides less priority to trucks
that leave the port. Having a flyover at the Ingurukade colour lights
will improve efficiency of port activities,” the Chairman said.
According to Wickrama there are certain limitations in the port when
it comes to increasing the number of trucks inside the port and the main
priority of the port is to provide a better service to ships. In some
instances, particularly during peak hours around 600 to 700 trucks
arrive into the port and it is difficult to allow all truckers inside
the port since space to handle all activities is limited. In addition,
four outward and three inward lanes will also be built in port access
roads to ease the present congestion.
It is planned to shift all administrative functions from the port to
an outside office.
“There will be a central administrative building and that will act as
a one-stop-shop and freight forwarders and shippers will also get space
in the building,” the Chairman said.
The Ports Authority is also planning to implement short term, medium
and long-term plans to improve port productivity. “We have introduced a
few systems which are working well at the moment and are ready with the
physical infrastructure to go ahead with on line payment and clearing
system enabling any customer to work with Customs without any issue,”
Dr. Wickrama said.
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