Parliament Question: Balagarh Project of Kolkata Port

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF PORTS, SHIPPING AND WATERWAYS RAJYA SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO.*106 ANSWERED ON 10.02.2026 BALAGARH PROJECT OF KOLKATA PORT *106. SHRI SAMIK BHATTACHARYA: Will the Minister of PORTS, SHIPPING AND WATERWAYS be pleased to state: (a) whether Government has approved and initiated implementation of the Balagarh Project of Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port, Kolkata for setting up a new cargo handling facility on Balagarh Island, about 85 km upstream from Kolkata; (b) the objectives of the project, including decongestion of the Kolkata Dock System andimprovement of inland waterway connectivity; (c) the present status of land acquisition, environmental and other statutory clearances and tendering; (d) the estimated project cost, funding pattern and timelines; and (e) the proposed cargo handling capacity, trade benefits and employment potential envisaged upon commissioning? ANSWER MINISTER OF PORTS, SHIPPING AND WATERWAYS (SHRI SARBANANDA SONOWAL) (a) & (e) A statement is laid on the Table of the House.STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (a) TO (e) OF THE RAJYA SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO.*106 FOR ANSWER ON 10.02.2026, RAISED BY SHRI SAMIK BHATTACHARYA REGARDING “BALAGARH PROJECT OF KOLKATA PORT” (a) Yes. (b) To accommodate anticipated traffic growth and reduce intra-city cargo movement, Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port Authority (SMPA) is developing dedicated container and coal berths at Balagarh.The project also seeks to promote cargo transportation through National Waterway-1, thereby, strengthening inland waterway connectivity and enhancing overall logistics efficiency. (c) Land is already available with the SMPA and environmental clearance was received on 24.01.2025. Under the Engineering Procurement and Construction (EPC) component of the project, the tender for road construction was opened on 02.02.2026 and the work order for construction of the Road Over Bridge (ROB) has been issued on 09.01.2026. (d) The estimated cost of the project is ₹ 539.17 crore including the Engineering Procurement and Construction (EPC) component of Rs.131.97 crore and Public Private Partnership (PPP) component of ₹ 407.20 crore. The EPC component is to be funded by the Inland Waterways Authority of India, while the PPP component is to be financed and implemented by the selected concessionaire.The EPC part of project, except dredging part, is scheduled for completion by 31.03.2028. The dredging activities will be taken up by IWAI immediately before commencement of construction of Jetties by PPP operators. Construction of facilities under the PPP component is to be completed within three years from the award of concession. (e) The proposed cargo handling capacity under the project is 2.7 million metric tonnes per annum (MMTPA). The project is expected to provide trade benefits by reducing congestion arising from cargo movement within city areas, lowering logistics costs, and facilitating development of an alternate trade hub.The project is expected to generate around 2,600 employment opportunities through both direct and indirect avenues which will also create significant employment opportunities for the local population, thereby contributing to regional socio-economic development. *****