The Kolkata Port Trust's (KoPT) first rail-linked container freight station (CFS), built by Container Corporation of India (Concor), at a cost of Rs 2.5 crore, was launched here on Monday.
A total of 21 boxes, all imports, were transported by a train from the Netaiji Subhas Dock (Berth 7) to the bonded area of the CFS for Customs inspection.
Once the inspection is complete, there will be dispersal of the boxes either by train or by road.
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The CFS, complete with a bonded area of about 14,000 sq m, including a covered warehouse of 1,000 sq m, has the capacity to handle 1,500 TEUs a month.
It is part of the total 85,000 sq m acquired by Concor from KoPT as early as 2005.
“Since there is enough space available at our disposal, it should be possible to step up the capacity of the CFS depending on the growth of throughput”, according to a spokesman of Concor.
Right now, there are three other CFSs within the port area.
These are operated by two public sector organisations, namely, Central Warehousing Corporation, Balmer Lawrie, and a private firm, Century Plywood.
But these CFSs, being road-linked, create congestion which in turn throws up myriad other problems.
The first rail-linked CFS, therefore, should be the preferred choice of most users, it is felt.