Cargo movement to and from Kolkata Port crippled

Kolkata: Cargo movement to and from the Kolkata Dock System has been hit due to the collapse of Majerhat Bridge, which has also posed a serious concern for our neighbour Nepal, which is very much dependent on imports through the Kolkata Port.

At present, containers are being allowed to enter and leave the port for only seven hours - between 11 pm and 6 am. This is due to the fact that passenger vehicles are being diverted through the three main arteries like Taratala Road, Circular Garden Reach Road and Hyde Road during the day, with Majerhat Bridge being cut off entirely for any movement. So, the existing window for goods vehicle movement during the afternoon through these three roads has been restricted totally.

"We are in constant touch with the Kolkata Traffic Police to regularise goods vehicle movement. They are studying the movement of traffic with the diversions being imposed. We are hopeful that the restrictions will be lifted soon. The police have already agreed to allow goods vehicles from 10 pm to 6 am on Thursday night," said Vinit Kumar, chairman of KoPT. It may be mentioned that every day, as many as 1,300 trucks enter and exit the Kolkata Dock Complex, and the majority of them used to move through Majerhat Bridge. "The restriction effect, coupled with the collapse of Majerhat Bridge, has reduced daily cargo movement in half," a senior KoPT official said on condition of anonymity.

According to a senior official of the Nepal Consulate in Kolkata, at least 80 containers are dispatched to Nepal from the Kolkata Port every day and it is expected to pick up ahead of the approaching festive season. "Our national festival is set to begin within days and imports to Nepal are set to increase soon," the official added. Sources in KoPT said that Eaknarayan Aryal, consul general of Nepal based in Kolkata, has expressed his concern to the chairman and traffic manager of the port.

"We primarily use railway for the movement of Nepal cargo. We have requested Container Corporation of India (CONCOR) to have more goods train movement if possible, so that there isn't much problem with Nepal cargo movement," Kumar added.

According to sources, KoPT has dealt with 80,000 containers only for Nepal in 2017-18, which is supposed to go up to 1 lakh this year.

It may be mentioned that KoPT imports edible oil, electronic goods, cars, sugar and other general items of everyday use through Kolkata Port.