Aai Plans Cold Storage Unit At Sahar

The Airports Authority of India (AAI) is planning to construct a 2,400 sq metre cold storage centre at the Mumbai international airport by August 2002, to facilitate storage and preservation of perishable goods' meant for exports.

The AAI, which is working with the Agricultural Processed Export Development Authority (Apeda) for the project, has pegged the cost at Rs 15 crore.

S Mathrubhutham, general manager (cargo), at the Mumbai airport said: "The new air-conditioned centre is meant to encourage exports of perishable items from the Mumbai airport, which accounts for over 35 per cent of perishable air export cargo in India. After construction is completed, the new centre will provide enough space for all perishable goods meant for exports."

Currently, construction work is going on to provide an alternative arrangement for storage of perishable items in the interim.

The interim facility will be commissioned by September, 2001, while the main project is expected to be commissioned by August, 2002.

The new facility is also expected to benefit Air-India, which currently accounts for over 40 per cent of the perishable air cargo exports from the Mumbai airport.

R J Treasuryvala, director of the Mumbai airport, said the airport earns about Rs 100 crore a year from cargo movement.

The airport's cargo complex now has all the required facilities, including airline offices, customs, banks and logistics at the same place, he said.

The dwell time (time taken to clear goods from the cargo complex) for exports and imports at the Mumbai airport currently is 46 hours and 9.3 days respectively.

The government is understood to be considering introduction of "known shipper concept", to further reduce the dwell time by awarding speedy clearances to large and regular exporters.

The Mumbai airport handled 1.29 lakh tonne export cargo and 61,485 tonne import cargo during fiscal 2000-01.

By 2005-06, the airport is expected to handle 2.1 lakh tonne exports and 90,000 tonne of imports, the officials said.