The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW) on Tuesday approved the renovation of the historic Bascule Bridge at the Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port (SMPK) in Kolkata.
The Rs 117.54 crore project is the latest measure taken by the shipping ministry to boost the safety and operational efficiency of the SMPK's Kolkata Dock System (KDS).
The proposal was appraised by the Delegated Investment Board (DIB), chaired by the Secretary, MoPSW, during a meeting held on February 16, 2026. It is also backed by financial assistance of approximately Rs 41 crore from the Sagarmala programme.
The renovation project will see the double-leaf bascule bridge of the KDS undergo "comprehensive structural strengthening along with electro-mechanical upgrades" after its construction nearly sixty years ago by Wagner-Biro Bridge Systems AG.
The project will be implemented by Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL), with the work awarded to Mumbai-based M/s H & H Fressinet.
"The renovation of the historic Bascule Bridge ... (safeguards) an important legacy asset while upgrading it with modern technology to ensure safer, faster and more efficient port operations," Union Minister, MoPSW, Sarbananda Sonowal said in a statement.
This also comes about a month after PM Narendra Modi on January 18 laid the foundation stone for the Extended Port Gate System at Balagarh, which is to be developed by SMPK at a cost of Rs 540 crore.
The new facility promises a state-of-the-art barge terminal with two berths, and will be capable of handling coal and container cargo with a capacity of 2.7 million tonnes per annum (MTPA).
"The project is set to decongest city docks, boost cargo handling efficiency, and strengthen sustainable riverine logistics in Eastern India," the shipping ministry wrote in an X post.
Located just 45 nautical miles upstream from the KDS, the project has been integrated with National Waterway-1 "through multimodal connectivity, including a new Road overbridge and advanced dredging infrastructure to ensure smooth, all-weather operations", it added.
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