Surat airport makes headway in infrastructural progress with the inauguration of the much-awaited Domestic Cargo Terminal (DCT) on Wednesday. Operated by AAI Cargo Logistics and Allied Services Limited (AAICLAS) a subsidiary of AAI, it is expected that the opening of the terminal would boost cargo movement from the current 300 metric tonnes per month to more than 1,000 metric tonnes per month.
“Surat has become the 26th city in the country to have the cargo terminal. This terminal will cater to the ever-increasing air cargo demand of the entire south Gujarat region. We are looking at doubling the cargo transport in the next couple of months.”
Keku Bomi Gazder, CEO of AAICLAS
The cargo terminal is equipped with sophisticated facilities for handling both in-bound and outbound cargo. The terminal has two robust rooms for valuable cargo, two dangerous cargo rooms and four cold storages for handling general goods, valuables, perishable items, hazardous cargo etc.
Mr Gazder shared that the cargo terminal is built at the cost of Rs 13 crore on 1,400 square metres, having the capacity of handling 50,000 metric tonnes of cargo per annum.
Air India, Indigo and Spice Jet airlines have been allotted separate space at the DCT at present for the cargo dispatch. Spice Jet handles majority of the cargo movement to and from Surat airport,followed by Air India. When asked about international cargo, Gazder shared that they were waiting for international flight operations to increase from Surat.
With this facility operational, trade prospects are expected to scale newer heights as the people of the region can now ship fruits,vegetables and other perishable items to other places with a speedier pace .
The terminal was inaugurated by CR Patil, MP, (Navsari), Darshanaben Jardosh, MP, (Surat). Also present on the occasion were- Jagdish Patel, Mayor(Surat), Dr. Dhaval Kumar Patel, IAS, Collector (Surat), Keku Bomi Gazder, CEO, AAICLAS, and G. Chandramouli, RED(WR)-AAI
