KoPT lines up Rs 6,000 cr investment in new port facilities

Kolkata Port Trust (KoPT) has lined up Rs 6000 crore investment in new port facilities to tide over the crisis of dwindling cargo from the eastern port.

"New port facilities at Sagar, Diamond Harbour and Haldia dock II will require total investment of Rs 6,000 crore and we hope to begin work on these facilities shortly," KoPT chairman M L Meena said on the sidelines of an interactive session at Bengal National Chambers of Commerce and Industries.

RITES is carrying out the feasibility study for Sagar port proposed to be built on 2,000 acres reclaimed land, he said.

Most of the facilities of the port would be built in the PPP mode and bids for Haldia dock and Diamond Harbour, which will have four berths each, is expected to begin works in the next six months.

Besides augmenting the port facilities, KoPT has decided to dump the silt from dredging on land instead of dumping it at high sea.

"Transloading will also be one of the major short-term measures to protect cargo moving out to other ports of the eastern region," Meena said.