Come September, the islanders can sail off to their homes via the new terminal. The new terminal and building complex for Lakshadweep passenger vessels are nearing completion and are expected to be commissioned by September.
According to sources in the Cochin Port, the terminal is ready for receiving vessels. Some finishing touches to the interior work is all that remains. This will be carried out by the Lakshadweep administration,” they said. The civil work of the terminal was carried out by the Cochin Port. Currently, the passengers to Lakshadweep islands are facing problems of not having a dedicated terminal. There are no facilities for security checking at the existing berths. The passengers usually get stranded at various places when ships were suddenly cancelled or delayed due to monsoon-related reasons. They are usually forced to wait in front of the office of Lakshadweep administration or somewhere in the city when ships get delayed.
Built on the Mattanchery channel, the terminal is 300 metres long and 12 metres wide. With a moderate good draft of six metres, it can provide berthing facilities for three vessels at a time.
According to sources, the remaining work of the building and the terminal is expected to be completed by the end of August. The terminal and building near the BTP Berth were constructed at a cost of around `40 crore allotted by the Central Government. It will have a host of facilities, including the security checking area, passenger waiting zone and other related facilities.
The terminal will serve around 3,000 passengers a month. The Lakshadweep administration operates four ships -Lakshadweep Sea, Kavaratti, Bharat Seema and Arabian Sea - between Kochi and the islands during the monsoon season.
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