Kolkata Port plans rail freight boost with new cargo terminal
Kolkata: Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port, Kolkata, has opened the bidding process for a major upgrade to its rail freight infrastructure, inviting private players to build and operate a new General Cargo Terminal (GCT) at the GCD yard for the next 15 years.
Sources confirmed that the port has floated a tender aiming to draw more cargo to the rail network and ease pressure on road-based movement by expanding the port’s dedicated rail-handling capacity.
An official said that at the core of the initiative is the port’s push to increase freight volumes and improve efficiency by shifting a larger share of cargo to rail. The new terminal is expected to play a central role in this shift, with the port clearly stating its intention to enhance rail modal share and strengthen terminal capacity through private participation.
The chosen operator will be responsible for developing and maintaining the yard into a full-fledged, round-the-clock cargo hub. This includes constructing and operating circulating areas, approach roads, lighting systems, warehouses and loading–unloading zones meant exclusively for rail-borne cargo.
Containers as well as dry and break bulk cargo will be handled at the site, with the operator required to deploy the necessary equipment, manpower and supporting services.
While the Kolkata Port will provide locomotives and take care of essential track and signalling maintenance, the operator will be responsible for running the terminal, marketing it, and securing the land and assets licensed to it.
The port has also set a firm performance benchmark: the operator must ensure a minimum guaranteed rail traffic of 1.5 million tonnes a year, compensating the port financially if the target is not met.
The estimated civil construction cost stands at Rs 13.68 crore. Once operational, the terminal is expected to sharpen the Kolkata Dock System’s competitiveness by speeding up rail cargo movement and attracting additional freight business to the port.
Recently, the port chairman, Rathendra Raman stressed on the synergy between ports and railways for national logistics transformation.
He emphasised shifting freight from road to rail and inland waterways for greener logistics, projecting 25 per cent of energy from solar by March 2026 and 50 per cent by 2030. He said: “Port Rail Link Express now moves 45 rakes monthly between Haldia and Kolkata, each carrying around 90 containers.” Raman noted the need for policy support to allow ports to operate their own wagons, retain Nepal-bound cargo in eastern India and increase volumes from Odisha, Jharkhand and Bengal.
