Tajpur port crucial for Haldia dock’s survival?

Kolkata: The Kolkata Port Trust is apprehensive of the future of the Haldia port.

With neighbouring ports armed with better fecilties, authorities fear the Haldia dock complex might not see a very bright future, unless it is able to get the Tajpur port facility under its control and employees improve their productivity.

“Subarnarekha Port project in Odisha is more of a threat to the KoPT than Paradip Port. If employees of the KoPT and Haldia do not comprehend the impending situation and improve the output to attract business, then Haldia does not have a rosy picture,” KoPT chairman M.T. Krishna Babu said on Thursday, responding to a query about mega projects taken up by the Paradip Port to double capacity and attracting industries.

The Paradip port, selected as a location for a Smart Industrial Port City (SIPC) under the Centre’s Sagarmala project, may pose a challenge in the long term.

Subernarekha Port is a deep draft port coming up at the mouth of the Chaumukh river in Balasore, Odisha, that is expected to pose a direct competition to the Haldia Docks.

Mr Babu feels that the Tajpur Port needs to be complementary for Haldia Docks for KoPT to save the port.

Tajpur and Subarnarekha Ports can potentially divert 40 per cent of Haldia’s cargo towards them, which might spell doom for the KoPT. “The shipping ministry has already apprised the state government that they want to have 74 per cent stake at the Tajpur port project and the ball is now in the state government’s court,” a top port official said.

The draft at Haldia is a major hurdle and the existing channels leading to Haldia is getting choked. “We have sent a proposal of `3,000 crore to the union government proposing a cut of a channel at Nayachar that will facilitate the entry of vessels at Haldia. The draft will increase to nearly 9 metres and cargo handling of 35,000 metric tonnes will be possible,” Mr Babu said. Haldia at present can handle 20,000 metric tonne a day.

The KoPT is also ushering in efficiency and transparency with RIFD and ERP projects at the dock level. “The employees at the grass root level need to shun unionism and work efficiently and improve productivity to stay in the competition,” Mr Babu said.