Kolkata Port Trust (KoPT) is planning to charge a royalty on on-shore handling of cargo, sources said.
“Tomorrow, the KoPT management will place a proposal before the board of trustees to levy a royalty of Rs 25 per tonne for on-shore handling of cargo, port sources said.
“The on-shore handling agents are neither approved nor regulated by KoPT and hence any charge or levy on them will impact users,” the sources said.
KoPT acting chairman Manish Jain was not available for comment.
The sources claimed that the on-shore handling agents earn a revenue to the tune of Rs 200 crore a year from the Haldia Dock.
Meanwhile, a south-based company Seapol Port has emerged as the lowest bidder for mechanised cargo handling for berth 4B at Haldia with Rs 51.99 a tonne out of three bidders.
There is no official confirmation of this as the same would be placed at the board of trustees meeting tomorrow.