Shifting Tides: West Bengal Looks Beyond Tajpur for Deep-Sea Port

The West Bengal Government is evaluating an alternative location for the proposed deep-sea port project in East Medinipur district, with Dadanpatrabar emerging as a potential site following concerns regarding the feasibility of the originally proposed Tajpur location.

Speaking after a meeting with Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal, West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari stated that the Tajpur project faces significant challenges due to the limited availability of government-owned land required for the development of a large-scale deep-sea port. Following a review of land availability and project feasibility, the state government has initiated discussions on shifting the project to a nearby alternative site.

According to the Chief Minister, consultations were also held with representatives of the private sector regarding the project, and the assessment indicated that the existing Tajpur proposal may not be commercially viable under the current land acquisition scenario. The government is therefore exploring Dadanpatrabar as a possible alternative location that could better support the infrastructure and land requirements of a modern deep-sea port.

The development represents a strategic shift in the state’s approach to port infrastructure planning in the region. The Tajpur deep-sea port project had previously been revived through a fresh Request for Proposal (RFP) process following the cancellation of an earlier tender. However, the renewed focus on an alternative site reflects the government's efforts to address implementation challenges and advance plans for expanding maritime infrastructure along West Bengal’s coastline.

If developed, the proposed deep-sea port is expected to strengthen cargo-handling capacity, improve maritime connectivity and support industrial and logistics growth in eastern India.

News by Rahul Yelligetti.