We very often confuse Logistic Park (Transport Nagar) with Truck Terminals. For better clarity, let’s know what a Logistic Park is meant for.
For diversification of Odisha’s basket of products manufactured and produced in the state, there is urgent need to have more robust Logistic infrastructures. Logistics is the backbone of trade and it also creates business opportunities and employment. In order to strengthen the logistic sector, the Ministry of Surface Transport, Govt. of India is working on an integrated logistics strategy. Government of Odisha, which has vigorously pursued Make in Odisha campaign since last 10 years, has to rise to the occasion and improve its logistic infrastructures.
The need for integrated Logistics sector development has been felt for quite some time in view of the fact that the logistics cost in India is very high compared to developed countries. High logistics cost reduces the competitiveness of Indian goods both in domestic as well as export market. Logistics sector is expected to grow to USD 360 billion by 2032 from the current USD 115 billion. Increasing globalization of Indian economy, along with renewed manufacturing vigour attributed to Make in India Campaign and growth of e-commerce business all forecast rapid growth in Indian logistics sector.
Logix India 2019 is scheduled to take place in New Delhi from 31stJanuary to 2nd February 2019. The mega logistics event is being organized by the Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO) as a major initiative to improve logistics cost effectiveness and operational efficiencies for India’s global trade. Over 20 countries are sending delegations to explore logistics partnerships with India and FIEO is focusing on logistical solutions for difficult to reach markets. Over 100 international delegates are expected to attend Logix India 2019. FIEO will also focus on investment opportunities in infrastructure development, warehouse consolidation, technology integration and IT enablement and skilling of manpower at the three-day meet. Odisha government should participate in this mega event to market its products and exportable goods in the international market and at the same time to take a view of the modern logistic infrastructures required to fulfill the logistic requirements of the national and international clients.
India ranked 44 in the World Bank Logistics Performance Index 2018. As per the Economic Survey 2017-18, India’s logistics industry which is worth around USD 160 billion is likely to touch USD 215 billion in the next two years. This sector provides employment to more than 22 million people and is expected to grow at the rate of 10.5 per cent over the next 5 years.
Bhubaneswar and Rourkela are being transformed in to a Smart Cities. As the prime objective of the Smart City mission is to enhance quality of urban life, Bhubaneswar shall have many additional core infrastructures to provide a quality and decent life to the citizens.
Transport Nagars or Logistic Parks are not altogether new for our planners. These are there in all major cities of India, except in Odisha. These parks accommodate the offices and godowns of the transporters and provide all the infrastructures and amenities to the stake holders of Road Transport Industry.
Bhubaneswar today suffers from the congestion caused due to road side parking. Washing of giant-size trucks and open air defecation by the Truck crew is a common phenomenon. This defeats the Swachha Bharat Abhiyan and can be considered as one of the reasons why Odisha ranks low in Ease of Doing Business Index.
Thousands of youth, who got engaged in transport profession by availing vehicle finance from banks & FIs, fail to repay bank instalments, as the lorry movement period inside the city is restricted to late night only. Huge amount of man power, engaged in loading and unloading, trolley men, transport staff, small and medium truck drivers and helpers suffer from financial loss. Late night activities near warehouses located inside the city disturb the local residents.
Transport Nagar can accommodate all the heavy vehicles helping the National Highways free from congestion. The theft of goods loaded in the trucks can be arrested and valuables in the truck remain protected, if parked inside Transport Nagar. The small and permissible trucks, which can enter anytime into the city limits, can transport goods from Transport Nagar to market points for the convenience of the transporters and general public. There shall be ZERO detention of the vehicles. It will help reducing the retail prices of commodities too.
Traffic, law & order position of the city can be furthered and regulated, if these trucks are parked inside the Transport Nagar. The revenue earnings of the state can be enhanced without any leakage. The ease of doing business in Bhubaneswar can be furthered.
The quality of life of the citizenry can be made elegant, easy and comfortable, if there will be no loaded heavy vehicles on the city roads and warehouses are shifted from the city to the Transport Nagar. Bhubaneswar Goods Transport Association strongly believes that establishing Transport Nagar or Logistic Park in our Smart Cities will certainly improve the quality of life of the citizenry. We very often confuse Logistic Park (Transport Nagar) with Truck Terminals. For better clarity, let’s know what a Logistic Park is meant for.
Transport Nagars are mini SEZs, which accommodates the offices and godowns of the transporters, workshop of the vehicle manufacturers and other garages, spare parts shops, Banks and ATMs, Dormitory, cloth cleaning services (Dhobi Service), Health Centres, 24X7 ambulance Service, Security and Police outpost, Fuel Pumps, Multispecialty Clinic, Trauma care Centre, Driving Training Centre, Hotel and Dhaba, Restaurants etc. This needs deployment of huge manpower skilled in various disciplines to provide world class quality services to pan-India customers.
As Odisha Skill Development Authority provides the overall direction, deliver convergence and drive accountability for all skill related planning and activities, the Authority should chalk out a roadmap to skill the human resources engaged in various logistics activities. It is learnt that OSDA has plans to establish new Advanced Skill Training Institutes, which will work as hubs to enhance the caliber of existing institutions of the State. Our proposed Logistic Park can serve as an in-house skill institution and the participants can be skilled, while they earn their livelihood within the logistic park itself. The living condition of young people engaged in various trades inside the proposed transport nagar will be significantly upgraded. People who have undergone skill training and have set up their own businesses within the transport city will be able to hire freshly skilled individuals under an apprenticeship program. The human resources skilled in “Transport Nagar-Bhubaneswar” shall have the opportunity to serve as resource persons in the Logistic Parks to come-up in other cities of Odisha in coming years at Rourkela, Paradeep, Sambalpur and Berhampur etc.
A sustainable campaign has been drawn up to make “Skilled-in-Odisha” with twin objectives of drive mobilisation among youth to embrace skill education and to draw the attention of the world to lock-in talent of our State. The proposed Logistic Park can fulfill all these expressed objectives of Ministry of Skill Development and OSDA. Direct employment for not less than 50,000 persons in and around the proposed Logistic Park can be created. Interestingly, the financial expenditure to be borne by the government will be nominal and most of the expenses are expected to be borne by private companies, if we prepare a road map and schedule to skill the manpower.
At last, but not the least, we would like to draw your kind attention to the horrible road accident on the bridge of river Mahanadi near Cuttack, where a passenger bus fell down in to the river Mahanadi, hitting a buffalo during the evening hours of Dtd.20.11.2018. It emphasizes on the need of skill development for the drivers. All will certainly agree that except the human resources, our roads, vehicles and the systems have undergone a sea change. The human resources need upgraded skill development matching the technological improvement and establishing a Logistic Park may be the right solution. We have Kalinga Stadium, where we could organize Hockey World Cup. Can’t we have at least a Logistic Park?
