Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday commissioned the Haldia Bulk Terminal (HBT) virtually from Kolkata's iconic Brigade parade ground. Haldia Bulk Terminal is designed to handle dry bulk cargo at an annual capacity of 4 MMTPA.
The terminal is a fully mechanized bulk facility on the Hooghly River with direct rail connections which is a structural upgrade for bulk cargo movement through India's eastern maritime corridor.
Prime Minister Modi during inaugurated a series of developmental projects worth around Rs 18,680 crore in Kolkata and said, "today from Kolkata a new chapter of development for West Bengal and eastern India is going to be written through road, railway and port infrastructure, with laying foundation stones and inauguration of projects over 18 thousand crore rupees. These projects will give a new mileage to for Eastern India including West Bengal".
Prime Minister while speaking over the inauguration of development projects in Haldia mentioned, "Alongside road, rail connectivity, water transport holds equal significance. For the past few decades, the potential of water-based transport in Eastern India remained largely overlooked. However, water transport is now opening new avenues for trade and technological advancement. In this context, the foundation stones for-and the inauguration of-several port development projects took place today. The ports of Kolkata and Haldia have long played a pivotal role in facilitating trade in Eastern India. The mechanization of the Haldia Dock Complex is currently underway; this initiative will accelerate cargo operations while simultaneously enhancing the port's overall capacity".
Strategically positioned on the western bank of the Hooghly River, the Haldia bulk terminal is equipped to handle imported coal and a range of dry bulk commodities.
"The Haldia Bulk Terminal is a next-generation facility that brings full mechanization and direct rail evacuation to the Hooghly, setting a new benchmark for efficiency on India's eastern seaboard. By eliminating jetty dumping and lowering cargo loss through advanced automated systems, we are ensuring cleaner, safer, and more sustainable operations. The terminal will play a pivotal role in strengthening industrial supply chains of West Bengal, Odisha and Jharkhand, while supporting the Prime Minister's Modi vision of lowering
logistics costs through modern multimodal infrastructure." said Mr. Ashwani Gupta, Whole-time Director & CEO, APSEZ.
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