The new initiative which is taking shape is connecting north eastern states of India- Assam, Meghalaya and Tripura with the Calcutta Port via Mongla and Chittagong (Chattagram) port in Bangladesh. Very recently we sent a cargo to Monglo in Bangladesh and from there to Meghalaya and Tripura, said Kolkata Port chairman Vineet Kumar The opening up of the Padma Setu (Bridge), Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sk Hasina’s India visit, signing of as many as seven MoUs between India and Bangladesh will all open new vistas in strengthening Indo-Bangla trade and also operationalisation of international waterways via Indo-Bangla river route. That’s what Vineet Kumar, Chairman, Shyama Prasad Mookherjee Port (formerly Kolkata Port Trust) feels.
“Already there is a great relationship between the two countries-India and Bangladesh. Indo-Bangla Protocol is already there. The new initiative which is taking shape is connecting north eastern states of India- Assam, Meghalaya and Tripura with the Calcutta Port via Mongla and Chittagong (Chattagram) port in Bangladesh. Very recently we sent a cargo to Monglo in Bangladesh and from there to Meghalaya and Tripura. Three days ago we sent steel bars from Tata Steel to Chattagram. From Chattagram it will go to Shilchar in Assam and while returning it will bring tea from Assam to Kolkata via Chattagram,” said Kumar while speaking to Bizz Buzz, on the sidelines of a conference organised by the Association of Multimodal Transport Operators of India) in Kolkata.
Kumar said that going by their estimations, the new initiatives will reduce the cost by 30 per cent and transit time by 40 per cent. So it’s a win-win situation for both the countries and it will provide an alternative to the chicken neck. Besides reducing cost and transit time, the new moves will create employment opportunities in ports, trucking facilities and other related areas in both the countries.
“So I think this is going to be the future. Also I must mention about the initiatives of transit through waterways. We did a trial of sending steel bars from Haldia Port to Assam. There were come areas of concerns which we found and these are being taken care of. And we hope there will be cargo movements via water ways as well. So operationalisation of international waterways via the Indo-Bangla route is something we look forward to. Our trade with Bangladesh is growing at a rate of 11 per cent as regards to Calcutta Port is concerned. And that’s through waterways. So that’s a big change what is happening. Both the countries are using more economical and environment friendly ways to sending goods,” he said.
Responding to queries on the possible economic impacts of the opening up of the Padma Setu (Bridge), Kumar said that in the wake of the opening up of the Padma Setu (bridge), Mongla port in Bangladesh becomes very critical. The transit time via Dhaka becomes much less and it is much more economical. Therefore one sees lots of growth opportunities on this front. Xerrxes Master, National President, AMTOI, on his parts, said that multimodal logistics is the way forward. Indian Prime Minister’s dream of turning Indian into a $5 trillion economy can only be translated into action through a much better, stronger and more efficient multi-modal supply chain and logistics mechanism. He said that more frequent and regular interactions and exchange of thoughts and ideas with AMTOI’s counter organisations in other countries will pave the way for a stronger transnational multi-modal logistics and supply chain mechanism.
