BS reported that the project cost of the proposed container terminal at Diamond Harbor dock system on the Hoogly River, 40 kilometer downstream from Kolkata, has more than doubled from the estimated cost to INR 1233 crore and the Kolkata Port Trust is about to float request for qualification for the project next month on this basis.

The project cost was earlier pegged at about INR 500 crore.

AS per report, the project proposal has been revised, which was earlier planned in 2 phases, with provisions for handling both dry bulk cargo as well as containers.

As per report, the new terminal would now have 4 ship handling jetties and 2 barge jetties. About 120 acres would be required for the project. Of this, around 23 hectares would come from the West Bengal government 16 hectares from private owners while the rest from defense authorities and director general of lighthouse and lightships.

Mr Anup Chanda chairman of KoPT said that “The committee asked KoPT to go for containerization of cargo in line with the global trend as half of global cargo was in containers. The container terminal will be built in private public partnership format on build operate transfer basis.”

Mr Chanda said that environment clearance for the project is in hand and so KoPT planned to appoint a consultant for preparing a detailed project report in this month. KoPT would build 3 more container freight stations to supplement its existing 2 CFS. The project plan was before the ministry of commerce awaiting sanction. The 2 existing CFSs were under Central Warehousing Corporation & Balmer Lawrie.