The Hindu Business Line : KDS to handle tea export rakes routed thru Amingaon

FOR the first time, from this tea season, the tea exports in containers routed through Amingaon (Guwahati) inland container depot (ICD) will be handled at Kolkata Dock System (KDS) in preference to Haldia dock for shipment purpose. Both KDS and Haldia dock are under the Kolkata Port Trust.

A beginning has already been made with two rakes, one with 68 TEUs and the other 72 TEUs, having already arrived from Amingaon and the shipments made. The Container Corporation of India (Concor), the transporter of boxes, both loaded and empties, between KDS and the ICD, has sent empty rakes to Amingaon to facilitate loading there. "We're trying to handle at least three rakes in the current month," observed Concor sources.

Several factors, it is felt, go in favour of the switchover to KDS from Haldia. First, Concor has commissioned a new terminal within the KDS, with the result the rakes carrying loaded boxes can come straight into the dock. The terminal is well suited to handle both international and domestic traffic. Second, Kolkata port authorities have rationalised the container handling charges for KDS, so much so that the rates at KDS are now lower than those at Haldia. The transit time too has vastly improved and the rakes are being cleared within record time of less than two hours. Finally, transportation to Haldia involved covering additional distance and, therefore, additional costs were not being incurred by the users any more.

The Concor's KDS terminal, which was commissioned last month without any fanfare, is believed to have handled nearly 20 rakes already, including rakes carrying domestic traffic to and from various parts of the country and rakes to and from Birgunj ICD in Nepal.

Meanwhile, the container throughput at KDS recorded an impressive growth in the first quarter of the current fiscal. During the period, the throughput was 48,405 TEUS as compared to 35,457 TEUs in the same period of the last year, thus posting more than 36 per cent growth.

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