Despite repeated appeals from trade and industrial forums, the long-standing demand for a dry port in Tiruch remains unfulfilled. Tiruchirappalli, a key export hub in Tamil Nadu, continues to face logistical hurdles due to the absence of an Inland Container Depot (ICD), or dry port, even as export volumes steadily increase.Tiruch is a major contributor to the state's export economy, shipping out engineering equipment, vegetables, fruits, and processed food items. According to the National Horticulture Database 2023–24, the region produced 112.62 million metric tonnes of fruits and 204.96 million metric tonnes of vegetables, making it a vital agricultural powerhouse.While perishable goods are typically flown to international markets like Singapore, Dubai, Sri Lanka, Qatar, and the UAE, value-added products including biscuits, millets, and auto components, are exported via distant sea ports in Chennai, Tuticorin, and Cochin. Each month, approximately 40 to 50 containers (25 tonnes each) are transported by road from Tiruch to these ports, incurring high logistics costs and long transit times.Industrialists argue that establishing a dry port in Tiruch would drastically cut shipping time and costs, streamlining customs clearance and export documentation locally. “It
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Anamika Mishra,
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