9 firms express interest for Kolkata, Patna water terminals

Nine companies have placed bids for developing water transport terminals at Kolkata and Patna on public-private-partnership (PPP) mode, the Shipping Ministry said today.
The ministry expects to award the project by next month, a release said.
"Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI), Ministry of Shipping, has identified development and operation of Kolkata Terminal's GR Jetty -I, GR Jetty-II & BISN and Patna Terminal's Gaighat & Kalughat on National Waterways -1 i.E. River Ganga under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model," the Shipping Ministry said.
After invitation of bids, nine firms have expressed their interest in taking up the project and the work is expected to be awarded by November, 2016, it said.

This is the first PPP project undertaken by the IWAI. Under the transactional structure worked out by International Finance Corporation (IFC), the operator will undertake the operations and maintenance services at both Kolkata and Patna clusters and invest in equipment handling mechanism, goods, items, container loading and unloading equipment and warehousing.
The operator will also provide labour, professionals, supervisory, and managerial personnel for performance of operations and maintenance services.
"IWAI will initially invest Rs 80 crore for the estimated cost construction of the Kalughat Terminal and Rs 10 crore as the cost of land acquisition of about 2-3 hectares for the container cargo Terminal," it said.

IWAI has taken land on lease for 30 years for GR Jetty I & II, and BISN Terminal in Kolkata.