The Union Minister for Road Transport, Highways and Shipping, Nitin Gadkari, on Tuesday laid the foundation stone for a proposed 2.55 million tonnes a year floating cargo handling facility at Haldia Dock Complex of Kolkata Port Trust.

The port authority is setting up the dedicated reverine facility which will handle mini bulk carriers (with a capacity between 10,000 and 12,000 dead weight tonnes) and barges (for carrying coal). The proposed facility will be able to accept cargo from the deep draft unloading point (from large ships) at Sagar island.

The Rs 74-crore project will include setting up a pontoon, a crane capable of unloading about 10,000 tonnes a day and conveyor, transit 10,000 sqm storage area on shore, connecting road and other cargo handling equipment. A private player, Bothra Shipping, will construct the floating jetty and other infrastructure and operate it for 15 years.

At an event, organised by the MCC Chamber of Commerce & Industry here, the Minister through remote control also inaugurated three other projects of HDC -- a 1 million tonne fly ash handling jetty, refurbished gateway to the dock system and a stacker-cum-reclaimer at one of dock's 14 berths.

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