Kolkata, Sep 18 (IANS): Kolkata Port Trust (KoPT) on Friday said it will be signing a Rs.250 crore agreement with Jindal ITF early next week for creating transloading infrastructure at Kanika Sands.

To be modelled on the public-private partnership agreement, the facility will help boost KoPT cargo handling by an additional 5-6 million tonnes for the riverine port in the very first year of the operation.

"We will sign the agreement with Jindal ITF for the facility costing Rs.250 crore early next week," KoPT chairman R.P.S. Kahlon told media persons here on the sidelines of an interactive event organised by the Bengal Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

He said while the entire investment will be borne by Jindal ITF and the company will be charging the ships for the transloading service, KoPT will not be levying any such charges on the ships.

"We will not charge anything for the facility and expect cargo from transloading to reach 25 million tonnes by 2019-20", he said.

According to Kahlon, the entire infrastructures will be in place by the end of this year.

The port authorities will be keeping the cost within Rs.1,000 per tonne of cargo handling in the transloading process from Kanika Sands to Haldia port in West Bengal.

The total cargo handling from transloading operations will be to the tune of 25 million tonnes, the officil said.

KoPT is also aiming to reduce port charges to increase its competitiveness.

"Currently, the port charges are to the tune of Rs.350 per tonne for cargo but over a period of 8-12 months, we will bring it down to Rs.250 a tonne with help of mechanisation," the official said.