Indore (Madhya Pradesh): A long-cherished dream of farmers and traders of the area of having a state of the art Centre for Perishable Cargo (CPC), which will give fillip to their exports, is about to materialise. A CPC is being developed at Devi Ahilyabai Holkar Airport over a 600 sq metre area and one of the three proposed air-cooled chambers has been completed.
The proposal of setting up a CPC in the city is about 15 years old. The very first was proposed to be set up at the Laxmibai Anaj Mandi by the State Government, but it was later scrapped. Then it was proposed to be set up at the airport by MP Warehouse and Logistic Corporation, but that project too failed to make any headway. About 2 years ago Airport Authority of India Cargo Logistic and Allied Services Limited (AAI-CLAS), a cargo handling wing of Airport Authority of India (AAI) came forward to take up the project.
RCS Dabas, AGM (AAICLAS) informed here on Friday that the CPC will be built over 600 square metre area at the land located at old terminal building and opposite to Air Cargo Complex. Under the scheme 3 aircooled chambers have to be built. Out of this, one chamber of 70 square metres is ready in the present cargo complex. It was inaugurated by Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on January 6, 2021.
Sharing the special features of the CPC, Dabas stated that in all the chambers, temperature between 15 to 20 degree celcious to be maintained. Custom Counter will be set up here. The CPC will have a gate opening to the airfield so that after clearance from the Custom Department the container could be sent to the aircraft.
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"There is huge potential of export of banana of Burhanpur, oranges of Shajapur district, flowers and vegetables from Khargone, Indore and Ratlam district," horticulture department official said.
