Railway ministry sanctions preliminary survey for rail line

KOLKATA: The Railway Ministry has sanctioned a preliminary survey for the 138-km long new rail line between Sagar Port and Dankuni, in a boost to the proposed deep sea port at Sagar Island in West Bengal.

"The chief administrative officer (administration) will conduct a preliminary survey for a new line between Sagar and Dankuni here," Eastern Railway General Manager Ghanshyam Singh told newspersons here.

The ministry, in the general Budget placed before the Parliament, has sanctioned the preliminary survey for the new lines from Sagar Port to Dankuni via Kashinagar, Kulpi, Bakrahat, Majherhat, Shalimar, Santragachi.

After the preliminary survey is placed and approved, a detailed survey would be conducted, Singh said.

The Union Cabinet has given an in-principle approval for a deep sea port at Sagar Island in South 24 Parganas district as the existing riverine ports at Kolkata and Haldia are facing problems over decreasing draught.

However, a proposal by the Mamata Banerjee government to set up a deep sea port at nearby Tajpur in East Midnapore district has cast a shroud of uncertainty as the existence of two large ports in near vicinity might prove to be unviable.