KoPT "shocked" as WB govt decides to go solo for Tajpur port

The Kolkata Port Trust (KoPT) on Wednesday termed as "shocking" the West Bengal government's announcement to develop the Tajpur deep sea port on its own, saying the techno-economic feasibility report for the project was already underway.

The state government had a 26:74 share with KoPT in the project in West Midnapore district.

"It is shocking. Ms Howe Engineering has already submitted the inception report, the hydrological and geological testing has also been conducted. The techno-economic feasibility report is expected soon," KoPT sources told PTI.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday said the state will develop the Tajpur deep sea port on its own, as the Centre did "nothing" to start work on the project in the past three years.

The KoPT sources, however, declined to acknowledge the delay as alleged by the state government.

Change of the site of the port from Sagar Island to Tajpur has caused some delay, as all the processes had to be carried out from scratch, the sources said.

Criticising the state government's decision to develop the port on its own, West Bengal BJP president Dilip Ghosh said it is a "political stunt" before the general elections and the Bengal Global Business Summit next month.

The Mamata Banerjee government has already pulled out of the Centre's 'Ayushman Bharat' scheme.

Meanwhile, the Keventor Group said it is optimistic that work would soon commence on the Kulpi Port project in the South 24 Parganas District, for which the state government has received statutory clearances.

Global port operators--DP World will hold majority stake in the Kulpi Port project in which Keventor will be a key stakeholder.

Another proposed container port project in Kulpi by the Bengal Shipyard Ltd -- a subsidiary of Apeejay Shipping Ltd -- is also yet to start.