• Investment World
• eWorld
• Brand Line
• Mentor
• Life
• Brand Quest
• The New Manager
• BL Club
• Smartbuy

Stocks

• Quotes
• SE Diary
• Scoreboard
• Open-End Mutual Fund

Cross Currency

• Rates
  
  

Shipping

• Ports
  
  

Archives

• Yesterday
• Datewise
• Resources
• In Focus
• In Depth
• Events 2007

Group Sites

• The Hindu
• The Hindu ePaper
• Business Line
• Business Line ePaper
• Sportstar
• Frontline
• The Hindu eBooks
• The Hindu Images

A steady rise in the volume rail-borne traffic — from 14 million tonnes in 2002-03 to 17.3 mt in 2007-08 and estimated to reach 20 mt in 2008-09 — prompted Haldia dock authorities some time ago to approach Rites Ltd to suggest measures for improving the dock’s rail operation. One of the suggestions has been augmentation of the locomotive fleet. Accordingly, the dock authorities have placed firm orders for three diesel locomotives with Varanasi-based Diese l Locomotive Works of the Indian Railways. The three will cost around Rs 31 crore and, barring unforeseen developments, should be delivered within nine to 12 months. But then proposed acquisitions will not augment the dock’s locomotive strength substantially. This is because two of the six diesel locomotives being more than 20 years old need immediate replacement. Which means, the net addition to the fleet will be one. However, the dock has five electric locomotives. Meanwhile, the dock authorities have offered on licence basis about 2,800 sq metres of land to the Dredging Corporation of India for constructing landing facilities for its rivercraft being used to carry men and materials from the shore to the dredgers deployed in the Hooghly.

OUR BUREAU

More Stories on : Shipping/Ports | Railways

Article E-Mail :: Comment :: Syndication :: Printer Friendly Page

Copyright © 2008, The Hindu Business Line. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu Business Line