The much-neglected suburbs of northern and western Chennai are likely to see a spurt in commercial activity with a new logistics park coming up at Sholavaram town, bordering Tiruvallur district.
The warehousing park is expected to give a big boost to export-import activities from the Chennai Port, which in turn is expected to put the erstwhile British trade hub of Madras, back in the city’s commercial map.
Chennai-based private group Shri Kailaash Logistics (SKL) has come out with a concept of logicity in Sholavaram, a quiet town located 24 km from Chennai.
Part of the Rs 400-crore Sree Kailas group of companies, SKL plans to set up a 50-acre logistics park, with about 10 lakh square feet of space, housing huge customized warehouses and cold storage facilities offered on long term lease to clients.
“The introduction of GST will necessitate the concept of single warehouse for southern region,” said Mr S. Rajkumar, Director, SKL.
In anticipation of the new opportunity, the company has already started a 50-acre logistics park at an outlay of Rs 320 crore, a first-of-its-kind facility in Oragadam.
This is expected to serve a big boost to both FMCG firms and marine industry. “For FMCG companies, most sorting activity is carried out by logistics providers,” said logistics consultant Mr R.Kalyanaraman.
“Such a hub can help companies halve their logistics spend,” he added. In fact, companies such as Nestle, Cadburys and HUL are already reported to have made enquiries about the same.
This apart, marine industry too, which is muddled with their deep sea catches getting decayed due to lack of cold storage facility, may now be benefited.
The export sea food produce from Kasimedu and Thiruvottiyur coastal waters can be preserved better due to their proximity to the proposed warehouse park.
Akin to IT firms that led to the rapid development of the city along the OMR and ECR stretch, such a logistics boom may serve a boon in disguise to change the face of this part of Greater Chennai, opine urban planners.