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Kolkata, Nov.3 Despite myriad problems thrown up by the declining draft of the Hooghly river near Haldia dock, the traffic throughput of the dock in the current fiscal is likely to be more than 44 million tonnes (mt), surpassing 43.59 mt handled in 2007-08, according to a spokesman for Kolkata Port Trust.

Till October (April to October 2008), Haldia dock handled 25.29 mt as compared to 25.17 mt in the same period of last year. In October alone, the throughput was 3.218 mt (3.163 mt in October 2007). “The increase so far has been marginal, likely to be more in the coming months,” the spokesman observed.

The optimism is based on the prospects of improvement in the Hooghly draft as a result of several steps being initiated by the port authorities. Right now, the draft in the river near the dock is 7.1 metres, likely to be maintained even in the coming lean months of November and December. “A clear picture of the improvement of the depth will be available in the next survey but we’re hopeful,” he said.

With the transfer of Dredge XVI from Sethu Samudram project to Haldia, five dredgers are now working in the Hooghly. From Tuesday, the number will rise to six as the cutter suction dredger Dredge VII will be deployed and, further to eight by the end of this month. By that time, two more dredgers currently under repair will join the fleet active in the Hooghly.

The other significant measures which, according him, have helped the situation improve are limiting shipping movement within four tracks (three lanes with a total width of 345 metres) in the river instead of earlier five tracks (four lanes comprising 460 metres) and tinkering with under keel clearance as per the Napahade Committee’s recommendation.

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