The Hindu Business Line : Kolkata port sees 60 mt traffic in 2007-08

Kolkata May 3 The Kolkata Port Trust (KoPT), according to its Chairman, Dr A.K. Chanda, hopes to handle an estimated 60 million tonnes (mt) of traffic in the current fiscal (2007-08) as compared to 55.05 mt in 2006-07. Talking to newspersons here on Thursday, Dr Chanda estimated that the share of Haldia dock in the projected traffic would be about 46 mt as compared to 42.45 mt in 2006-07.

He discounted the possibility of the flight of crude traffic from Haldia to Paradip in the current fiscal. "The current year's traffic projection for Haldia does not take into account probable flight of crude traffic to Paradip," he said.

The KoPT, the Chairman said, has worked out an investment programme of Rs 968.67 crore for the Eleventh Plan, to be divided between the Kolkata Dock System (Rs 268.69 crore), the Haldia Dock (Rs 278.93 crore) and the River Regulatory Scheme (Rs 421.05 crore).

Investment plan

The funding would be, an estimated Rs 551.04 crore, by way of budgetary support and grant-in aid and the rest through internal resources.

By 2011-12, the Kolkata port's capacity would be up by an additional 33.5 million tonnes from the present level of about 55 mt, he said.

The projects proposed for implementation in the Eleventh Plan include construction of three cargo handling jetties at Diamond Harbour through the PPP (private public partnership) route at an estimated cost of Rs 360 crore, transloading of dry bulk at the Sandheads as well as Kanika Sands (for which discussion with the Orissa Government was yet to make any headway), construction of two riverine jetties at Haldia, construction of lay up berths and construction of second lock at Haldia and procurement of three locomotives, also at Haldia.

In 2006-07, KoPT posted a net surplus of Rs 426.89 crore as compared to Rs 270.65 crore in 2005-06, posting 57.73 per cent growth. During the same period, the operating income at Rs 1,249.69 crore showed a growth of 11.75 per cent and operating surplus at Rs 516.73 crore a growth of 53.83 per cent, Dr Chanda said.