JSW mulls deep seaport in Bengal

West Bengal: Sajjan Jindal-controlled JSW group, is planning to build a deep sea port in Bengal.

Emerging from a meeting with the West Bengal chief minister, Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, Jindal said, the group would appoint agencies in the first week of February to conduct a study for the site of deep sea port.

Jindal mentioned that the chief minister has conveyed that tenders floated by the suface transport ministry had not made any headway. “He has asked us to do the study and come out with suggestions,” said Jindal.

It may be mentioned that the Union ministry of surface transport had floated a tender for consultants to recommend a site for the proposed deep sea port in Bengal, but had not got any response and there were plans to go for re-tendering.

Jindal said, the group’s JSW Infrastructure and Logistics Ltd could be one of the candidates for the project. The newly floated company was building ports in Goa, Ratnagiri and Kakinada.

The investment in the deep sea port could be Rs 1,000 crore to Rs 2,000 crore. Jindal said, one of the biggest problems for investors in Bengal was lack of a deep sea port. “Bengal has riverine ports but no deep sea port,” he said.

Responding to queries on whether the company would rope in a partner for the project, Jindal said, it was not required but if technicals demanded so, then the group would consider.

Jindal met the chief minister today to apprise him of the steel project at Salboni.

The foundation stone was expected to be laid by Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, in the second week of February.

Construction would commence as soon as the foundation stone was laid. Jindal said, around 15,000 people would be involved in the construction of the plant and most of them would be locals.

Apart from employing locals for the construction, Jindal would also develop the Jhargram ITI and possibly Medinipur.

Jindal said, the group was focusing on steel, power and the port projects in Bengal for the time being.

The power plant would have a capacity of 1,200-1,800MW.

The steel plant would require around 1,000MW, the balance would be sold to the national or state grid.