Truckers are facing waits of up to 72 hours outside the BOM Air Cargo Complex amid an alleged manpower shortage.
Truckers are queuing for up to 72 hours outside the BOM Air Cargo Complex near Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, following an alleged manpower crunch that has disrupted operations. Cargo House Agents and transport operators said drivers have been left without food, water or shelter while unable to leave their cargo unattended, with one driver reportedly suffering a heart attack while waiting in the queue. The resulting traffic has spilled onto surrounding roads, with long lines of trucks reportedly extending towards Sahar Road and contributing to worsening congestion in the area.
Uday Dalvi, President of the Maharashtra Transport Department (SS-UBT), said queues had stretched from the entrance of the Air Cargo Complex towards the airport, with several vehicles waiting for more than a day. He said drivers could not abandon their vehicles because the cargo needed to reach relevant stations within scheduled timelines. Dharmesh Rathod, Vice President of the Maharashtra Transport Department (SS-UBT), said drivers were waiting 24 to 48 hours for their turn, with many forced to remain in their vehicles without adequate food, water or shelter, affecting both the drivers and the wider cargo supply chain. He added that the situation was compounded by drivers being expected to report their vehicles on time for subsequent procedures despite having already waited for extended periods, and noted that the long queues were also causing significant congestion extending from the complex gate towards Sahar Road and Vile Parle East.
Truck owner Madhukar Parab said his vehicle had not moved an inch in over 24 hours. Another driver, Prakash, said he had joined the queue at around 4pm on September 3 but had still not reached the cargo terminal gate by the afternoon of September 4, adding that the journey to the terminal had previously taken around four hours.
Yogesh Thombre, Deputy Chairman of the CHA Kamgar Sena (Bharatiya Kamgar Sena, Shiv Sena UBT), said the problems had been affecting import and export operations at the BOM Air Cargo Complex for around six months. He said the general cargo and heavy cargo sheds, with a stated capacity of around 200 to 300 tonnes, were handling approximately 1,000 tonnes of cargo daily, affecting CHA operations and resulting in trucks remaining in queues for days. He attributed the situation primarily to inadequate manpower, stating that the issue had been raised repeatedly with Mumbai International Airport Limited authorities without a productive response.
Thombre also said prolonged waiting times had affected cargo schedules, in some cases resulting in missed flights, citing an instance where a shipment could not be handed over in time despite the terminal challan being paid, resulting in a missed flight. The Air Cargo Complex authorities did not respond to a request for comment by press time.
Source: Mumbai Mirror
