The Hindu Business Line : Rly Board to consider plan for rail link to Sagar Island

The proposed port, with 12 berths (two liquid cargo jetties, two container berths, five multipurpose berths and three dry bulk berths), will have a total capacity of 65 mt.

Kolkata , Sept. 22

THE Railway Board is understood to have agreed to consider the Kolkata Port Trust's proposal for linking Sagar Island (close to the mouth of the Hoogly river) with the mainland by a rail route to help the port authorities set up a major port in the island.

Responding favourably to the KoPT Chairman's request in this regard, the Railway Board, it is learnt, has decided to send some senior officials for an on-the-spot study to be convinced of the traffic potential before taking a decision.

The proposed rail link to connect the island with the mainland may not be as difficult as it might appear, according to Railways sources.

Right now, a rail link is in place up to Kakdwip in the South 24 Paraganas district.

The network is being extended further South to Namkhana. From Namkhana, Sagar Island is not far off.

However, the only stumbling block is the waterway that separates the island from the mainland.

A rail-cum-road bridge has to be built over it.

Currently, ferry service is the only means to reach the island.

The Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA) has agreed to prepare a detailed project report on the proposed port project in Sagar Island. JICA, it is learnt, will take about 15 months to firm up its views on the project.

The approval of the Union Government is awaited.

The proposed port, with 12 berths (two liquid cargo jetties, two container berths, five multipurpose berths and three dry bulk berths), will have a total capacity of 65 million tonnes (mt).

Right now, the average draft in the Hooghly river near the island is about 10.5 m which must be increased to 12.5 to 13 m to enable large carriers, tankers, bulk carriers and container vessels to call at the port. Thus, substantial dredging is needed.

The proposed railway connection to Sagar Island will be undertaken by Eastern Railway (ER), which is looking forward to the port project.

This is because ER is apprehensive of virtual stagnation of the originating traffic in the coming years following the transfer of its freight loading divisions to the newly created East Central Railway.

ER is also looking forward to two other projects due to come up under its jurisdiction - the Rajmahal coal project (three mt) proposed to be tied up with the Kahalgaon thermal power project of National Thermal Power Corporation, and the Sonepur Bazari coal project (four mt) under Eastern Coalfields Ltd.