When industry rushes in, facilities improve in tandem. This is a truth that is now proving true in industry-starved Bengal. Even a few years back, upgrading and/or setting up infrastructure in the state would have found few takers. Bengal was then not considered a destination for putting money.
Now there is clearly an upswing in mood. As big-ticket investments are making beeline to the state, the authorities are waking up to the increasing need of matching infrastructure. Among new plans unfolding is Kolkata Port Trust’s (KPT) plan of building dock facility in Diamond Harbour in South 24 Parganas on the Kolkata-side of Hooghly river.
As per feasibility plan, there will be 3 jetties to begin with that will increase to 5 in second phase. KPT’s assessment is that the new dock will cater to more tonnage of cargo than Kolkata port, the main reason being the draught at all time in Diamond Harbour will be decidedly more – 9 meters against 7 in both Kolkata and Budge Budge and marginally more, 7.5 meters in Haldia.
Besides, navigating vessels to Diamond Harbour will be far easy compared to bringing them to Kolkata port. Further, vessels will not be dependent on directions of tide to move in and out of the dock. The other advantage is that during high tide, draught in Diamond Harbour will become 14 meters, which is conducive for comparatively larger vessels to choose for anchoring.
But Diamond Harbour – as and when it comes up – will have company of Kulpi port (this too is in planning stage) further south on the same flank of the river. Kulpi port, christened as Bengal Port Ltd, is a different ballgame. To be owned and operated by Dubai-based DP World in association with Keventer group of Kolkata, Kulpi port will be a 3000-acre affair, consisting of the port itself on 10% area and a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) occupying 90% land.
Apart from all-weather port facility, Kulpi port will also have a ship-breaking yard and an industrial park.
And then there is the plan of a giant deep-sea port near Sagar islands at the confluence of Hooghly and Bay of Bengal. Clearly, Kolkata’s maritime luck is scaling new high with each passing day. It’s a measure of exciting time ahead for the state.
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