The Hindu Business Line : Floods hit rail traffic between Kolkata port, Amingaon ICD

Awaiting dispatch
There are 164 empties lying at the Amingaon ICD, awaiting loading and dispatch by train. The number of loaded containers awaiting dispatch is eight.

Kolkata , July 14

Rail movement between Kolkata port and Amingaon (Guwahati) inland container depot (ICD) has been affected by floods in some districts in West Bengal.

One Amingaon-bound rake carrying 70 empties for loading of tea at the ICD has been stalled at Panagarh near Durgapur as the rail tracks at several places in the districts of Birbhum and Murshidabad have been breached. The rail lines to north Bengal and further to Assam pass through these districts.

Several mail/express passenger trains on the route, too, have been cancelled. If this situation persists, movement of tea containers (for exports) between the ICD and the port will also be hit.

At present, there are 164 empties lying at the Amingaon ICD, awaiting loading and dispatch by train. The number of loaded containers awaiting dispatch is eight.

Concor steps in

The Container Corporation of India (Concor), responsible for operation of the Amingaon ICD and transportation of the containers, both empties and loaded, proposes to run at least three rakes this month, being the tea shipment season. Only one rake with loaded containers has arrived at the port so far. The scheduled movement of rakes may not be possible if the present situation continues, it is felt.

Veg oil transportation

Meanwhile, the meeting held on Thursday between the officials of Concor and the agitating owners of trucks operating between Kolkata port and Nepal failed. The meeting was called by the District Administration to avert the present stalemate over the transportation of imported vegetable oil by rail from Kolkata Dock System to Birganj ICD in Nepal. The truck owners have stopped the loading of the first rake forcing the Concor officials to transfer the rake to some other place.

The Concor officials, therefore, on Friday called on the Chief Secretary of the West Bengal Government and sought his help. The Chief Minister might intervene, it is learnt.

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