The Shyama Prasad Mookerjee Port (Kolkata) faces certain operational challenges that led to the development of Haldia port. What are these challenges and how does Haldia address them?
Generated by claude-sonnet-4-6 · 2026-06-26 13:34 · grounding rag
Model Answer
Challenges of Shyama Prasad Mookerjee Port (Kolkata):
- It is an inland riverine port and a tidal port, which means it depends on tides for navigation.
- It requires constant dredging of the Hooghly river to maintain navigable depth.
- Over time, it faced growing traffic pressure due to its rich Ganga-Brahmaputra basin hinterland.
How Haldia addresses these challenges:
Haldia port was developed as a subsidiary port to relieve the growing pressure on Kolkata port. Being located closer to the sea, it reduces dependence on the shallow, difficult-to-navigate Hooghly river stretch.
Source: Major Sea Ports, Chapter 7
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Explanation
- The question is directly from the textbook passage on Kolkata/Haldia port. Use exact textbook terms: "inland riverine port," "tidal port," "constant dredging," and "subsidiary port."
- Examiners expect two challenges (tidal nature + constant dredging) and one solution (Haldia as subsidiary port to relieve pressure). Three marks = three scorable points.
- Avoid adding outside information not in the passage.