The worsening of the navigable condition of the Hooghly, lowering the average parcel loads of bulk carriers calling at Haldia dock, has set in motion a chain of developments hitting not only the dock but also various other sectors of the economy such as the trade, i.e., importers and exporters, the railways and others. Several industrial units, particularly power houses and steel plants in West Bengal, Bihar and Jharkhand who were dependent on Haldia for importing coal, have now opted for Paradip to meet their requirements at least partially. Some have even opted for far-off Gangavaram and Visakhapatnam. This has created pressure on these ports, which are now required to handle more ships than before, throwing up a host of problems at the port level. More importantly, the importers are being required to pay more rail freight because of the longer distance. Perhaps the worst hit is the railways, whose circuits have gone haywire. The zonal railway, which used to serve Haldia dock, is now facing a drop in traffic while the one serving the three others ports, despite best effort, is facing flaks from traditional customers for not being able to meet their demands for rakes squarely.

 

 

Source: Business Line