WB Govt’s Rs 15K-Cr Tajpur Port Raises Competition For Tata’s Odisha Port

The competition for survival has already begun with the West Bengal government setting up the Rs 15,000-crore greenfield Tajpur port project in the state — positioned next door to Tata Steel’s Rs 5,000-crore Subarnarekha port project at Chaumukh in Balasore district in Odisha. The Odisha government is moving fast. According to K Sudarshan Chakravarty, Collector and District Magistrate, Balasore: “The assignment of providing over 1,000 acres to Tata’s port project will be completed by November 2021.” With regard to the rail and road corridor, and land requirement of 197 acres, 40 acres have already been acquired. Tatas will begin project work sometime in January 2022. As for Tajpur port in WB, sources say that when commissioned this will be a major monopoly port in eastern India, accommodating Cape size vessels. Tajpur port has the backing of Port of Singapore, DP World and other big consortium and conglomerates who have expressed interest in the deep sea port project. Major business groups from W Bengal like Rashmi Group, Shyam Steel, Super Steel and companies from Kharagpur, Asansol, have shown interest to support Tajpur port project, especially steel and coke logistics business. Construction of Tajpur port will begin by mid-2023 soon. Sources say that the Tata Group which is now focussing on its prized Air India acquisition may go slow on the Odisha port project for now. When contacted, Tatas declined to comment.