Kolkata port aims to reduce turnaround time for ships

Kolkata: The Kolkata Port Trust (KoPT) is making efforts to reduce the turnaround time of ships to three-and-a-half days to make it lucrative for traders, an official said on Tuesday.

"Currently, the turnaround time is about four days, which is not healthy for trade as it adds to the cost. Our effort is to reduce this time by increasing operational efficiency. We look to bring the turnaround time down to three-and-a-half days to begin with," KoPT Chairman Vinit Kumar said on the sidelines of an interactive session organised by the Merchants' Chamber of Commerce here.

He said reducing the turnaround time would make the port more lucrative.

KoPT has also decided to outsource two of its jetties at Outram Ghat and Princep Ghat to boost the movement of inland transport. The jetties will be developed by a third party and renovated to give it a smart look so that they can be used for tourism purpose.

"We will adopt PPP model in this venture and the company will be selected through proper tendering process," KoPT chairman Vinit Kumar said.

In a bid to generate more revenue from the huge pieces of land it owns in Kolkata, Haldia, Budge Budge and Howrah, KoPT will soon put 20 plots on long-term lease for commercial establishments, hospitality sector etc. For these 20 parcels the size of land is around 50 to 60 acre. In the next phase 70 odd land parcels will be rented out and the KoPT hopes to earn a revenue of Rs 80 to 90 crore from these 90 parcels.

KoPT owns nearly 4,000 acres of land in Kolkata, including the port facilities at Netaji Subhas and Kidderpore docks.

In the middle of November, KoPT had organised a trade meet with its existing and interested lessees and licencees where there was participation from as many as 150 companies. KoPT is also planning to foray into real estate business by leasing out land. They had already done their homework on the land parcels that have good potential. "We are getting Rs 250 crore per annum by leasing out land for various purposes and we want to increase it," a senior Port official said.