Kolkata, Mar 27 (IANS): The Kolkata Port Trust (KopT) is planning to set up a tea park and has already started initial talks with the Tea Board for the purpose, an official said on Wednesday.

The KoPT has land at Panskura in East Midnapore and at Panchpara in Sankrail, Howrah, which can be utilised for setting up the proposed park.

"We have already talks with the Tea Board officials and the industry fraternity regarding our plans for the proposed tea park. We have 30 acres of land at Panskura and also at Panchpara which can be utilised for it," KoPT Chairman Vinit Kumar said at an interactive session organised by the Bharat Chamber of Commerce.

He said that KoPT will provide the land with basic infrastructure for the proposed park while the onus will be on tea players to develop it.

In north Bengal's Siliguri, a tea park has already come up.

KoPT is also planning to come up with a barge terminal, over 300 acres at Hooghly district's Balagarh, about 85 km upstream on river Ganga, with an estimated investment of Rs 300 crore. The move will reduce congestion in the port.

"The Detailed Project Report (DPR) is being prepared and we are hopeful of going for bidding in September this year," Kumar added.