Narendra Modi’s government just celebrated its first 100 days in office. While 100 days is too short for any government to show its performance, ministers from almost every department have not stopped beating their drum and announcing the work they have started.

   In what could best be described as the ‘awakening of a slumbering giant,’ the country’s infrastructure juggernaut has started moving. With the emphasis on development of cargo infrastructure, air cargo stakeholders are optimistic that “better times are coming.” (Incidentally, this is the slogan on which Prime Minister Narendra Modi spearheaded his electoral campaign). To top it all, the infrastructure moves recently received a boost when Maplecroft UK's risk analysts sent out a confidential note to top global investors that India had become ‘the world's best growth-market bet’ since there was policy clarity and less red tape after the Modi government completed its first quarter.
   As part of infrastructure development, the government has taken a decision to set up air freight stations (AFS) in 10 cities. These AFSs, to be built by the Central Warehousing Corporation (CWC) will ease the supply of foodgrain.
   Established in 1957, the government-controlled CWC is the biggest public warehouse operator in the country. It has 471 warehouses with a storage capacity of 10.5 million tonnes. While it provides logistics and warehousing to the agricultural sector, the corporation also helps in the storage of sophisticated industrial products. CWC handles custom bonded warehouses, container freight stations, inland clearance depots and air cargo complexes, and does clearing and forwarding as well as handling and transportation of goods. Today, CWC is responsible for three air cargo complexes at international airports besides the management of the cargo warehouse at Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi.
   The direction to set up the 10 AFSs is part of a comprehensive eight-point plan chalked out for the CWC by Food Minister Ram Vilas Paswan. It remains to be seen whether these CWC AFSs are completed and commissioned in time.
   Earlier attempts at starting AFSs have failed or at best remained half-hearted attempts. In fact, air cargo stakeholders have been demanding AFSs at international airports for quite some time. In the southern city of Chennai, for example, AFSs have been set up, but have not started operations for one reason or another. For its part, the Air Cargo Agents Association of India (ACAAI) has been pushing to start these AFSs at Chennai.
   Keshav Tanna, (right) vice president, International Federation of Freight Forwarders Association (FIATA) and one of the most vocal advocates of the thrust to infrastructure never tires of pointing out that a pro-active instead of a reactive approach is needed by the government for air cargo growth. While he commends the formation of the Air Cargo Logistics Promotion Board, he believes that it has a crucial role to play. Tanna, like many, has been talking of Air Freight Stations for the last few years, but while these have been demarcated in Chennai and Mumbai, they have not been commissioned yet.
   On the civil aviation ministry front, Minister Ashok Gajapati Raju (left) declared in his 100-day press conference that the government would go ahead to set up the first ‘no-frills airports’ in four states of the country. They will be at Teju (Andhra Pradesh); Hubli and Belgaum (Karnataka); Kishangarh (Rajasthan near Ajmer) and Jharsuguda (Odisha). Clarifying the nature of the airports, the Minister said that it would “not be correct to call them low-cost airports. They will have no frills. Airports Authority of India (AAI) has developed this model airport, without compromising safety and security. This will result in low cost of operation and make it viable for the airlines to run their services. AAI is committed to commencing work in this financial year at the five locations.” He also said that the airports would handle turboprops like ATRs and Q-400s. The terminal buildings would be simple structures—no fancy glass and steel like the terminals at international airports in the country—and the ATC would be mobile instead of the huge stationary towers.
Tirthankar Ghosh

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