The Hindu Business Line : Iron ore movement at Kolkata dock

First, the plan involves multiple handling, which involves costs. The port authorities, of course, propose to circumvent the problem of cost by slashing the wharfage substantially but the benefit such "rationalisation" is not to be felt easily.

Next, the rail movement of ore from the mines to the dock is uncertain in view of the present shortage of rakes. The services of a former general manager of the zonal railway, requisitioned by the port authorities to expedite, among other things, rake availability, are still to yield results.

The plots of land, allotted by the port authorities within the dock premises to enable the prospective exporters to store the mineral, therefore remain largely unutilised. Understandably so.

In the absence of rake movement, some road movement has taken place but the volume of such road-borne traffic has been insignificant. After all road movement cannot match the rail movement in terms of volume. Also, the cost of road transportation is much higher.

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