Prime Minister Narendra Modi to inaugurate 150th year celebrations of KoPT

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the sesquicentenary celebrations of the Kolkata Port Trust (KoPT), Mr. Mansukh Mandaviya, Minister of State for Shipping (Independent Charge) and Chemicals & Fertilisers, said in Kolkata recently.

 

During his visit to KoPT, the Minister inspected the CCTV control room in the dock area and port operations at Netaji Subhas Dock (NSD). He also inaugurated four important projects.

 

“The Minister inaugurated RFID operations at Kolkata Dock System (KDS) that was set up at a total cost of Rs 17 crore. Under this project, 12 gates of NSD and Kidderpore Dock (KPD) are being fitted with RFID-based PSES System. It will provide single window system to port users for obtaining permits/passes through cashless transactions. He also inaugurated CCTV operations at KDS, including at the KPD and NSD Gates and yards, Bascule Bridge, Swing Bridge and entire Rabindra Setu. Installation and commissioning of this project with four years’ annual maintenance contract has cost neatly Rs 3 crore,” a senior KoPT official said.

 

The Minister also unveiled three truck parking terminals at KDS on nearly 30,000 sq m of its own land at Sonai, Coal Dock Road and Bhut Ghat. This has cost nearly Rs 6 crore. Mr. Mandaviya also inspected the Green Wall Project at BISN extension of NSD. He visited the Indenture Memorial and probable river front development sites.

 

In the afternoon, the Minister headed a review meeting at the KoPT headquarters, during which Chairman Vinit Kumar briefed him about the performance of the Port Authority, various developmental projects being undertaken or to be handled in the near future.

The Minister emphasised that the work culture in the port sector needs to be changed to turn State-run ports more efficient. He also asked the management to encourage efficient employees. Mr. Mandaviya also gave away prizes to meritorious wards of port employees and met port users to discuss various issues.