Bengal: Roadshow for Extended Port Gate System held at Balagarh

Kolkata, Oct 7 (IANS) The Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port, Kolkata (SMPA) — formerly Kolkata Port Trust — together with the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI), hosted the Balagarh Road Show for Development of Extended Port Gate System at Balagarh, West Bengal, at The Bengal Club in Kolkata on Wednesday.

The Extended Port Gate System is being considered one of eastern India’s most significant port opportunities.

Subrata Gupta, advisor to West Bengal chief minister Suvendu Adhikari, was the chief guest at the occasion, which was attended by Rathendra Raman, chairman, SMPA.

The programme was attended by major trade partners including Adani, JSW Infrastructure, IWAI and leading logistics companies. The deputy chairman and other senior officers of SMPA were also present.

Balagarh is a unique example of centre-state coordination, Gupta said. He said that rail, road and waterways connectivity is being provided by the central government, while industrial land is being made available by the state.

Environmental clearances have already been obtained, he mentioned, saying that the project will be a big boost for trade and industry in West Bengal. Through a coordinated effort by the central and state governments, Raman, Chairman, said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had recently laid the foundation stone for the IWT Terminal and Road Over Bridge at Balagarh.

The project will decongest the Kolkata Dock System (KDS), he said. Being waterways-based, it will be environment-friendly and sustainable, he added.

Balagarh is located 85 km upstream of KDS on the River Hooghly. SMPA is using a natural island on the river to create a loading and unloading hub for both incoming and outgoing cargo. It will have jetties for barges and storage facilities. There will also be road and rail connectivity. The idea is to use barges to move cargo arriving at the Netaji Subhas Dock or Kidderpore Dock under KDS to the island. The cargo can then move further north by road or rail.

Outgoing cargo, loaded on trucks or trains, can also be unloaded at Balagarh and taken to the facility, from where barges would be used to take it directly to the port. In this way, trucks will no longer have to enter the city limits. As it is, there are restrictions on the movement of trucks to prevent traffic jams during office and school hours.

The Balagarh project would allow movement of cargo at all times. It will also provide direct and indirect employment in the region. The cost of the project is Rs 538.20 crore, and it will have a capacity of 2.7 MTPA.

–IANS

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