The Centre has expedited a survey on whether an alternative riverine channel is viable and necessary to revive the ailing Haldia Port under the Kolkata Port Trust by bringing it under the government 100 days target to undertake work.

Minister of state for shipping Mukul Roy said the survey would be completed in two-three months. It’s interesting that Haldia is getting a fresh push because the same shipping ministry, under TR Baalu, had proposed that Haldia port be downgraded to a barge port because of rising maintenance costs. Under new shipping minister GK Vasan, the ministry has started working on the feasibility of Eden channel, an alternative channel on the confluence of Hooghly and Haldi rivers.

?We have taken up opening of the second channel with an aim to divert more water into the Hooghly river. This will also lead to automatic deepening of Haldia channel,? Roy added. He was present at the logistics colloquium organised by CII.

Eden Channel, which was functional four-five decades ago, has been lying dormant. The ministry is looking for a secondary channel as the Auckland-Jellingham-Haldia channel is facing draught constraints. Commissioning the alternative channel will require more than Rs 60 crore.

?At present seven dredgers are deployed to dredge the existing channel, which is hit with a draught as low as 5.5?6 metres. We are trying to bring dredgers with upgraded technologies,? Roy said.

According to KoPT’s hydraulic study department officials, a track survey of the new channel has already been made to know the character of the riverbed and its water flow. It has been found that the channel is absolutely fit for navigation.

Basab Roychowdhury, general manager (administration), said the channel will become operational within a year of commissioning of work. ?We are expecting 8.5-9 metres draught in the secondary channel.?

Meanwhile, Roy is lobbying party supremo and railway minister Mamata Banerjee to push for quick completion of the Panskura-Haldia double line. Doubling of tracks has been completed between Panskura and Rajgoda?the 36 km stretch to Haldia is pending.

A recent RITES survey found that by 2011-12 Haldia port will handle 92 million tonne cargo against 30-33 m tonnes at present.