Kolkata Port told to firm up terms of reference for feasibility report

Kolkata: The Shipping Ministry has asked Kolkata Port Trust (KoPT) to firm up the terms of reference for the feasibility report to be prepared by a consultant for the proposed deep-sea port in West Bengal.

'We are working on the terms of reference which, hopefully, will be ready within the next couple of weeks,' according to a spokesman for KoPT.

'The Union Government has sanctioned Rs 10 crore for the preparation of the study,' he said.

The spokesman, however, stated that the Government had not set any time frame for finalising the study.

Asked if global bids would be invited for the selection of the consultant, he replied that it was for the Union Government to decide.

'Since the project will involve huge investment, it is only natural that the feasibility report is prepared by experts of international repute,' he said.

It might be recalled that KoPT on its own had earlier mooted the proposal for a deep-draft port in Sagar Island, which is not far from the sea, and even tried, unsuccessfully though, for assistance from Japan International Cooperation Agency for undertaking a feasibility report on the project.

It is now hoped that the proposed study on the deep-sea port will also consider Sagar Island as a probable location.

The Shipping Ministry had called a meeting a few months ago to discuss a Shanghai-type deep-sea port in West Bengal.

This followed a visit by a delegation of the West Bengal Government to China, including Shanghai, where a new port is being built in an island located about 30 km from the coast into the sea and the distance is covered by a six-lane highway to facilitate transportation to and from the port.

Both Kolkata and Haldia ports being riverine ports are hit by the poor navigability of the Hooghly River.