Gadkari announces investments in ports, roads in West Bengal

Minister for shipping, road transport and highways Nitin Gadkari on Tuesday announced massive investments in ports and roads sector in West Bengal which would help boost the state’s economy.

Nitin Gadkari, who met West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee at the state secretariat in Kolkata, told mediapersons that the Kolkata Port Trust (KoPT) along with the state government would construct a port in the Sagar Islands at an investment of Rs 12,000 crore.

He said that there was also a need to construct a bridge or an underground tunnel for this purpose in addition to a railway line, adding a consultant was to be appointed for this.

In addition to the Sagar port, Gadkari had also announced additional investments of Rs 3350 crore in the port sector like floating storages, dry bulk cargo handling terminal among others.

He said that the draft at Sagar where the port would come up was 13.5 metres which would enable big vessels to enter.

The minister said that Banerjee had assured of full cooperation from the state government side and these investments would boost the economy of the state.

Regarding the road sector, he said land acquisition was a problem.

The Centre had lined up investments worth Rs 6000 crore for the roads sector in the state. Banerjee said that the state government would provide whatever support was required and extend full cooperation.

“Politics is politics and development is development”, she said. The chief minister also thanked Gadkari for taking the initiative for coming here along with a team of officials. Banerjee also urged Gadkari to attend the upcoming business summit in the city on January seven, 2015.