Two-day conference began in Kolkata on Friday to plan better utilisation of land and other assets owned by port authorities across the country. The 12 major ports in India, including SMPK, are also making a move towards turning into ‘landlords’, leasing out property and assets, instead of getting involved in day-to-day operations. Despite such huge land holdings, the major ports have lagged behind private ones in revenue generation. The event will also deliberate on several aspects of NAVIC Cell No 11 of the Mumbai Port Authority that deals with land, assets and port-led industrialisation in Mumbai and its surroundings. The conference was chaired by Rathendra Raman, chairperson, Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port,Kolkata (SMPK) Among those present are Dr R P Kondiram, deputy director general of shipping, India, and estate managers of all major ports, namely Mumbai Port authority, SMPk, Chennai Port Authority, Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority and New Mangalore Port Authority.
