Rising traffic poses challenge to Kolkota Dock

As the container throughput at the Kolkata Dock System (KDS) steadily rises, the dock authorities face new challenges, particularly to maintain the tempo.

Between April and August this year, KDS posted more than 27 per cent growth in container handling.

But such growth will be difficult to sustain unless proper attention is given to faster evacuation of boxes out of the dock premises, according to dock sources.

The current level of dispersal leaves much to be desired, they added.

Unlike major container handling terminals at the Jawaharlal Nehru or Chennai ports, the containers arriving at KDS are not immediately taken out of the dock premises and sent to a container freight station (CFS) or inland container depot (ICD).

As a result, Customs appraisal and other jobs continue even as the containers await evacuation.

In fact, the consignees virtually use the dock premises as a CFS/ICD.

In other words, the container management takes place within the dock premises while the same in other ports is undertaken in CFSs/ICDs.

One reason for this that the existing CFSs within the dock areas are just not in a position to handle even the existing level of traffic.

There are proposals to have new CFSs, but the prohibitive price of the land, which is a scarce commodity in a dock located within the city, has been the stumbling block.

There is a move to have a proper land use policy and rationalisation of the land pricing.

This would enable more private entrepreneurs to set up CFSs close to the dock.

Container dispersal

An issue of particular importance is the level of dispersal of containers by rail, which is currently minuscule, despite the dock being well connected by rail.

According to one estimate, not even 10 per cent of the loaded containers handled at KDS is evacuated by rail.

As always, the consignees cite non-availability of rakes as the main problem.

The dock sources conceded that there is a need to improve the availability of handling equipment too.

There are, therefore, proposals to acquire more mobile harbour cranes, reach stackers and rubber-tyred gantry cranes, all on hire.

Currently, there are three mobile harbour cranes supplied by a Mumbai-based firm but their performance level needs toning up, the sources said.