Both Tajpur & Sagar deep-sea port will come up: KoPT chairman

Kolkata: The port sector in West Bengal is likely to see massive investment as both Sagar and Tajpur deep-sea port will be developed, a top Kolkata Port Trust official said here on Thursday.

"Tajpur port will come up in the first phase while, Bhor Sagar port in the second phase," Kolkata Port Trust (KoPT) chairman Vinit Kumar said here on Thursday.

Tajpur is in east Midnapur district while Sagar is in South 24 Parganas district. If both ports come up at least Rs, 10,000 crore investment can be expected initially.

KoPT will float the tender to seek a consultant for a feasibility study for proposed Tajpur Port after it found the previous research from Crisil not sufficient to depend upon, a KoPT official said.

"A feasibility study will be carried out, and in the next 15-20 days a tender will be floated to appoint a consultant," Kumar said.

He said the SPV Bhor Sagar Port is executing the Tajpur project. Bhor Sagar Port is a 74:26 percent joint venture between KoPT and state government.

Sagar Port project was pushed back after West Bengal government mooted Tajpur project through private investors to which KoPT objected based on viability issues.

KoPT had earlier said both the ports would not be viable at a close distance.

Tajpur offers 15-metre draft that will help attract large ships.