National Informatics Center to aid Kolkata port on IT upgradation

In a bid to transform itself as the first choice port in eastern India, Kolkata Port Trust (KoPT) has engaged National Informatics Center to upgrade its current information technology system, which will help the port to plan better its resources and bring down costs.

The port aims to complete Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) solution implementation by March 2013. “At present, technical surveys are been carried out by IIT-Kharagpur whom we have engaged for consultancy. The final implementation will be done by government-owned National Informatics Center (NIC),” KoPT director, planning and research, Rebecca Das told the media.

ERP rollout will help KoPT plan and use its resources optimally for greater efficiency and in turn bring down cost, she said. The project cost will be ascertained only after Indian Institute of Technology-Kharagpur submits its technical consultancy report.

 

KoPT has Rs 14,000-15,000 crore in projects till 2017 to augment capacity by an additional 100 million tonne, port officials said.

The port's net profit has increased 29 per cent to Rs 90 crore in 2011-12, compared to Rs 70 crore during the previous financial year. Meanwhile, the port has handled 43.25 million tonnes (MT), compared to 47.5 MT during the last financial year, down about 4 MT.

Meanwhile, Kolkata Port is planning to expand its handling capacity to 100 MT. “This will be through various development projects — including Haldia Dock II North and South, transloading at Sandheads . It may see an overall investment of Rs 15,000 crore,” Manish Jain, chairman, KoPT.