 "West Bengal ambitious about its seafaring plans")
Blessed with a 950-km coast and a wide network of inland waterways, West Bengal is trying to harness the region's seafaring potential and is framing a maritime policy for development of this segment.
Finance Minister Amit Mitra, says the state will introduce the best global practices, aimed at optimal utilisation of its coastline. The state would encourage the shipbuilding and commercial shipping industry as well as developing ports and industrial clusters around ports.
The priority areas included in the draft policy are shipbuilding and repairing, and to encourage manufacturing of vessels, meant for inland waterways. It also seeks to create a multi-modal transport hub. "We need to capture value added cargo," Mitra said, adding Paradip port was congested and the magnitude of the container handling capacity at Dhamra in Odisha was small. This presents Bengal ample opportunities to develop ports and jetties for faster movement and distribution of cargo.
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He said while the government-run major ports grew by seven per cent in the past financial year, the rate for non-major ports (privately-controlled) grew 14 per cent.
The government is moving fast with its proposal to set up a three-km port at Tajpur in Purba Medinipur district. There would be nine berths in the project Bhorer Alo (rays in the morning), and would draw an investment of Rs 16,000 crore in two phases. In the first phase, Rs 10,000 crore would be invested and six berths created. In the second phase, another three berths would come up at an investment of Rs 6,000 crore.
The port, which will have a 16-metre draft to ensure large ships can dock, is projected to handle 48 million tonnes of cargo annually. The invitation for bids would be floated in two months and selection of the partners by early January.
"There is no need for land acquisition. There is another 1,500 acres of lowland available near the port. In case of silatation in this area, it can evolve into an economic hub," the minister said. "I am told some people were now envious. Which means we have a good product," he added. The Apeejay Surrendra Group, which has earmarked Rs 2,000 crore to develop a marine cluster on 550 acres in Kulpi in South 24 Parganas is waiting for rollout of the policy.
M T Krishna Babu, chairman of Kolkata Port Trust, had earlier said in case the Tajpur port takes shape, the ambitious Sagar Island port project will be rendered useless. According to Babu, seafaring vessels would be attracted to unload their cargo at Tajpur as it already has established hinterland connectivity whereas rail and road links need to be developed in Sagar Islands.
Although the draft in the proposed Sagar port would be in the range of nine to 10 metres, higher than Haldia's 6.5 metres, it would still be less than the 16 metres at Tajpur port. This would make it easier for large vessels to drop anchor at Tajpur instead of Sagar. Aiming to compete with India's financial capital, Mumbai, in a few years, the minister added if the present 12 per cent annual growth rate can be sustained, the state can have another three ports in 10 years.
