The opening of the Eden Channel, a proposed navigational route into the beleaguered Haldia Dock Complex, could be substantially delayed unless the Kolkata Port Trust (KoPT), which administers the facility, is able to finalise the tendering process for impediment removal in the new channel by the end of December.
In October, the Shipping Ministry's Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) had recommended the opening of this alternative route, which would allow ships to bypass the heavily-silted Auckland channel, in an effort to aid the hampered functioning of the Haldia port.
On Saturday, though, a KoPT official, who did not wish to be named, said that if the tendering process was not completed by December, it would be unlikely that the Eden channel would be operational before April next year.
“If the process is delayed and the work order is not issued by the end of this month, we won't be able to finish the impediment removal by March-April. There is a limited fair weather period that extends up to April, beyond which we cannot undertake such work,” the official said.
Sources added that the tendering process had been hampered as private firms, who had responded to the tender, had quoted inordinately high prices for removal of the impediments.
“We cannot be blackmailed by these companies. Senior officials of the port will meet over the next few days to work out a solution. If the Eden channel can't be operationalised, we will again have to start looking for other options,” the source said.
Incidentally, on November 14, Minister of State for Shipping Mukul Roy had said that the initial navigational testing of the Eden channel would begin by April 2010 and the route would be fully operational by October next year.
KoPT Deputy Chairman A Majumdar, though, remained optimistic about the Eden channel opening as per schedule.
“The tendering committee is working on its recommendations, which will subsequently be reviewed by the board of the KoPT. We will have more clarity on the issue in another week or so,” he said.
