Patna: Bihar got its first dry port & inland container depot (ICD) at Bihta, about 20 km west from the state capital, when the state industries minister Nitish Mishra formally opened it by flagging off the container train on Monday (November 21).
The dry port-cum-ICD is equipped with multi-modal transportation, customs services, and warehousing are all intended to improve logistics. This facility is going to revolutionize the state industrial sector.
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Officials of the industries department said that traders and businessmen, who are desirous of exporting their goods would not require going to Kolkata, Delhi or Mumbai for getting customs clearances of their shipment, as the facility is available at Bihta. The revenue department under the Union finance ministry has been authorised to issue customs clearances to the goods being exported through Bihta ICD as an inland container depot.
Bihta dry port will serve as a one-stop shop for the state’s importers and exporters by offering state-of-the-art warehousing, customs clearing, and transportation services. It has excellent rail connections to Kolkata Port, Haldia, Visakhapatnam, Mundra, and other important ports.
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State’s industries minister Nitish Mishra said that with the construction of the depot, goods will go directly from Bihar to the port. “Along with this, traders can also supply their products to other states with ease. Arrangements have also been made to ensure that the goods in the container do not get spoiled,” added Mishra.
A private goods terminal has also been built here along with the depot. The depot, spread over 30 acres, has container yard, cold storage, warehouse, railway siding, cargo-handling equipment, administrative services for export and import approval. This depot is directly connected with all the major ports of the country.
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This will make the import-export of goods faster and cheaper. Along with the inauguration, the first container was dispatched from here to Russia. It will go to Mumbai via Kanpur. After that it will leave for Russia. Earlier, goods used to go to Kanpur and Mumbai for export from the state. After being packed in containers there, it was sent to another country. Due to this, 30% of the raw material used to get spoiled on the way.
Danapur divisional railway manager Jayant Kumar Chaudhary, principal chief commissioner of customs department Ajay Kumar Saxena etc. were present on the occasion of the inauguration of the depot.
7,000 people will get employment
Officials said that opening of the ICD at Bihta would provide direct employment to around 7,000 people and about 20 thousand people will get indirect employment as drivers, labourers and transporters. The cost of goods transportation in the state will reduce significantly. Export and import of goods from anywhere in the world will be possible at a low cost. The container depot has been constructed by Delhi-based Pristine Magadh Infrastructure Pvt. Ltd.
