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KPD operations come to halt following damage to lock gate

Our Correspondent

CALCUTTA, July 10

AN acute congestion of vessels is apprehended at Calcutta Dock System (CDS) of Calcutta port after the closure of operation at Kidderpore Dock (KPD), one of the twin arms of CDS, from Friday. All the berths at Netaji Subhas Dock (NSD), the other arm of C DS, are fully occupied.

The disembarkation of m.v. Akbar was done at NSD

berth No 1, while that of m.v. Nicobar is being done at berth No 2.

Shipping Corporation of India has been informed accordingly. Both vessels are carrying passengers and general imports from Port Blair.

Around July 2-3 midnight, Alva Endeavour, a logs-carrying ship from Malaysia dashed against the eastern part of the KPD outer lock gate and it was badly damaged. Six vessels and eleven lash barges were inside KPD at that time.

On July 4, after reviewing the situation, the Chairman of Calcutta Port Trust (CPT), Mr. H.P. Roy, decided that no new vessels would be allowed in KPD till such time the repairs are carried out. The chief mechanical engineer of CPT would operationalise the emergency caisson whereby sailing in and out of vessels could be done in each high tide during day time. An action plan would be drawn for permanent repair of the lock gate. The vessels and barges lying within KPD would be hauled out with all due pr ecautions, when necessary.

M.V. Sea Joy, emergency caisson, jet dredger Jharna, a survey vessel and eleven lash barges where hauled out on July 4 and 5.

Gold Indus, a vessel scheduled to leave for Haldia was hauled out on July 6 during low tide. Currently, four vessels remain within KPD. The chairman ordered a joint inspection of the damage of the lock gate. Alva Endeavour would be allowed to sail out o nly after the inspection.

A jet dredger has been deployed for de-silting of the emergency caisson groove and the adjoining areas. Unless the groove is totally de-silted, the caisson cannot be commissioned. A grab dredger has also been deployed after it was discovered that the jet dredger was not very effective.

The emergency caisson needs to be parked at a suitable place, when not in use, for which a bollard is necessary at an appropriate location. According to Chief Engineer, CPT, it may take a few months if no spare bollard is found, and therefore a new one h as to be procured.

On a rough estimate, three months may be required to make KPD fully operational. Earlier, CPT authority had decided to close down berths 22-29 of KPD, but owing to stiff resistance from trade union leaders, the move was postponed. The CPT authority was n ow mulling closure of the non-operational berths.