‘Spoke to Adani’: Suvendu Adhikari shifts Tajpur deep-sea port plan to Dadanpatrabar

The BJP government in West Bengal on Thursday unveiled a new plan for its deep-sea port project, shifting it from Tajpur to almost 10km away to the coastal town of Dadanpatrabar. Announcing the decision at Nabanna, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari said it was not viable to build the mega project in Tajpur owing to severe land constraints.

Adhikari said the decision came after a discussion with the Adani Group, which was originally shortlisted for the Tajpur project, adding that the original site does not possess the massive land required for the project.

The announcement came shortly after Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal met Adhikari in Kolkata on Thursday to discuss the possibility of making West Bengal the maritime hub of eastern India, proposing a maritime investment pipeline of Rs 19,209 crore by the year 2031.

Sonowal said this was likely to generate 62,500 jobs — both direct and indirect — in the state.

Speaking to reporters virtually after the meeting, Adhikari said: ““Yesterday (on Wednesday), I had a discussion with the MD of Adani Ports, Karan Adani, regarding the Tajpur deep sea port project.”

Explaining why the deep-sea port was not viable in Tajpur, the chief minister said: “They (Adani) have already exited (from the project) and we saw that there was no viability of the project as the state government does not have adequate land there. That is why the Adanis walked out of the project. It is not possible without thousands of acres of land.”

“Therefore, we have made an alternative plan in Dadanpatrabar, 10 kilometers away from Tajpur. We have 1,700 acres of land there. We will move forward with that. We have also spoken with Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal…he has granted us permission. We will proceed there realistically,” he added.

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Adhikari added that he, as the erstwhile Leader of Opposition, had said the project wouldn’t be viable in Tajpur without rail and highway connectivity, as well as several thousand acres of land for warehouses.

“Finally, after the change of government…a team evaluated the situation and stated that the port is not possible there because the state government does not have any land,” he said.

The CM further stated that Sonowal has given his consent to provide an NOC for the project, and the Union and state governments will now start the project in the 1,700-acre land in Dadanpatrabar, adding that more land could be acquired for the project as and when required.

Suvendu slams TMC over Sagarmala project

The state government has also decided to integrate West Bengal into the Union government’s ‘Sagarmala 2’ initiative, marking a departure from the previous administration’s policies.

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Hitting out at the TMC, Adhikari said: “The previous government did not join the Sagarmala 1 project. A committee was supposed to be formed under the chairmanship of the CM…” He added: “But ‘Sagarmala 2’ is starting again. We will join it… A proposal worth Rs 22,700 crore will be prepared for five years. It will plan development for port connectivity, coastal fishing infrastructure, and easing the hardships of fishermen in areas such as Sagar, Kakdwip, Namkhana, Nayachar, and Khejuri right up to the Odisha border.”

The meeting comes soon after the formation of the BJP government in the state following years of accusations by the previous TMC government that the Centre was withholding funds for development and thereby undermining federalism. The BJP on its part would accuse the TMC government of diverting and misusing MNREGA funds, eventually leading to a slugfest between the TMC and the BJP over freezing of funds for the flagship scheme, later replaced by the VB G Ram G scheme.

The BJP has also claimed that employment opportunities and industrialisation suffered in the state for decades.

Sonowal hails Bengal’s maritime potential

Hailing the state’s maritime potential, the Union Minister said: “West Bengal is central to India’s maritime future. Under the dynamic leadership of PM Shri Narendra Modi ji, with an investment pipeline of nearly ₹19,209 crore, we aim to transform Bengal maritime hubs — Kolkata and Haldia — into the premier maritime gateway of eastern India while generating more than 62,500 employment opportunities. The double engine sarkar model will deliver these projects to unlock unprecedented opportunities for trade, industry and tourism.”

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Sonowal said that “cargo throughput at Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port has increased from 46.29 million metric tonnes in 2014 to 70.87 million metric tonnes in 2025-26, while inland waterways cargo movement has grown nearly five-fold over the past decade”.

Adhikari welcomed continued collaboration between the Centre and the state, also seeking support for priority projects aimed at boosting economic activity and trade in the state.

“We had a productive discussion on several priority maritime and connectivity projects, including Sagarmala 2.0, the proposed tunnel across the Hooghly River, development of jetty infrastructure, dredging of National Waterway-1, protection of the Hooghly embankment, and issues related to land and irrigation infrastructure. These initiatives are important for strengthening West Bengal’s maritime ecosystem and supporting economic growth. We look forward to continued cooperation with the Government of India under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji for the development of the state with active support from Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal ji,” Adhikari said in a social media post after the meeting.

Water metro for Kolkata

Kolkata is also set for a massive water transport upgrade, with the city set to become the 18th Indian city to be connected via a modern ‘water metro’ network, an initiative driven directly by the Union Shipping Ministry.

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A major beautification and reconstruction drive is also underway in Kolkata to revive the city’s historic river ghats, such as the Bagbazar Ghat, Shovabazar Ghat, Ahiritola Ghat, Mallick Ghat, Babu Ghat, Ramkrishnapur Ghat, and Banda Ghat. Two ghats have already been fully renovated, and authorities have been ordered to expedite the remaining work before Durga Puja. The redesigns will specifically highlight and honor the heritage and memories associated with Ramakrishna Paramahamsa and Maa Sarada Devi.

Other projects announced

The two leaders also discussed the development of ports, inland waterways, shipbuilding, logistics and port-led industrialisation in the state.

The proposed investments, planned under the Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047, “include the development of the Balagarh Multimodal Logistics Hub, expansion and mechanisation of Kolkata and Haldia docks, strengthening of inland waterways, development of world-class shipbuilding and ship repair facilities, cruise tourism infrastructure, riverfront redevelopment and port-led industrial clusters”, said a note of the Shipping and Ports Ministry.

The investment programme, Sonowal said, was designed to attract private capital and create employment.

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Additionally, the state has received central clearance for 41 out of 44 proposed new jetties, with construction scheduled to begin immediately. Infrastructure and anti-erosion works are also slated to kick off in Balagarh.

Adhikari also announced the formation of a joint task — consisting of Kolkata Port authorities, Municipal Corporation, Kolkata Police, CISF, Customs, and Intelligence — to combat illegal syndicates and extortion racket operations at the Kolkata Port.