The Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry has assigned the Pharmaceutical Exports Promotion Council (Pharmexcil) to conduct a study on the existing drug storage and cold chain management facilities in various ports approved for exporting pharmaceuticals and to propose future requirements to maintain top quality of medicines meant for export.

The move comes as an effort to assess the current facilities in the sea and air ports approved under the drug regulatory rules and to improve the quality of cold chain infrastructure to suit the fast growing needs of the Indian pharma exports industry. The Pharmexcil has been asked to submit a detailed report on this, said a senior official from the Ministry of Commerce, recently.

The Pharmexcil is finalising a consultant agency to conduct the study and is expected to submit its report in a month's time, said Dr P V Appaji, executive director, Pharmexcil. “The study is to analyse the current cold chain management facilities and to recommend future requirements to make these ports end-to-end global standard facilities for pharma exports,” he added.

The modern facilities in New Delhi and Hyderabad air ports to handle pharma exports would also be analysed in detail on the study. The Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) is also planning to create 3700 square meters of additional cold room facilities for pharma products when the new cargo terminal becomes operational. As per reports available, Mumbai International Airport Pvt Ltd (MIAL) has already created four new cold rooms for pharma products.

On the other hand, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare is also finalising its plans to set up exclusive pharma zones to improve the storage facilities in various air ports, to start with the ports in Mumbai and Delhi, as reported earlier. Besides, a pharma zone in Hyderabad and another cargo zones for pharma at Nhava Sheva port at Navi Mumbai are also on the anvil, through the plan.

The facilities at five key airports including Hyderabad and Bangalore will be augmented may be in the next two to three years. A committee has been formed comprising members from the departments of health, pharma and civil aviation, along with representatives from the Airports Authority of India.