Bengal Shipyard’s proposed Kulpi port project may get West Bengal State Cabinet’s nod this week.

Bengal Shipyard is a fifty-fifty joint venture between Kolkata-headquartered Apeejay Surrendra Group and Bharati Shipyard of Mumbai. The venture proposed to invest nearly Rs 2,000 crore in the river port near Kolkata.

“Bengal Shipyard had submitted the project report and details of the required land for the proposed Kulpi port to the Commerce and Industries Department. We have approved the project and sent the details to the Land and Land Reforms Department,” Commerce and Industries Minister Partha Chatterjee told Business Line .

According to Chatterjee, Bengal Shipyard has sought about 300-350 acres of land (in addition to the 550 acres) for the project. “[It is under] active consideration of the State Government,” he said.

R.D. Meena, Principal Secretary of State Land and Land Reforms Department, was not available for a comment on the development. Apeejay Surrendra Group Chairman Karan Paul had last month said the State Government was “happy” with the progress of the project. The company has recently restructured the project from a mere port facility to “marine cluster,” including shipbuilding, repair, steel fabrication, unloading and loading facilities, logistics, and ancillary operations. Bengal Shipyard has already acquired 550 acres for the project, Paul had said.

Bengal Shipyard is also awaiting approval from the Ministry of Shipping. The project, conceived in 2008, was proposed to come up at Geonkhali in East Midnapore district. But the company was forced to shift it to Kulpi following agitations over land acquisition.

ayan.pramanik@thehindu.co.in

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