West Bengal Set To Welcome Heavy Industry After 50 Years, Says State Minister Arjun Singh At CII Logistics Colloquium Single-Window Logistics Clearance Mechanism Coming Soon in West Bengal

The newly elected government of West Bengal will provide all opportunities to attract investment for industries with a strong emphasis on heavy industries after decades, said Shri Arjun Singh, Hon’ble Minister-in-Charge of the Departments of Labor and Transport, Government of West Bengal, at the Logistics Colloquium 2026, organized by CII Eastern Region in Kolkata on Friday. “The large-scale migration of the labour force from West Bengal, over the years, has been one of the key challenges, mainly in the absence of significant heavy industrial development in the state,” said the state minister for labour and transport.

We need to improve ease of doing business and support the logistics ecosystem,” he added. We will very soon start a single-window logistics clearance mechanism and also a comprehensive and visionary roadmap for the transport sector of West Bengal. “This will be released in the next three months.” Mr. Rathendra Raman, IRTS, Chairman, Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port, while speaking on the growth trajectory of Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port, said the port has a cargo handling capacity of 93 million metric tons (MMT) at present, which is expected to go up to 120 MMT in the next three to four years. “The port is implementing 15 infrastructure projects worth around Rs 6,000 crore. Out of these, two projects have already been completed,” he said.

Mr Raman further said that the Netaji Subhas Dock at Kolkata Dock System has received an investment of Rs 1,500 crore from JSW Infrastructure, which is an indication of growing investor confidence in the development and modernization efforts of the port.

Addressing the gathering, Mr. Jayant Singh, IRTS, Chairman, Land Ports Authority of India (LPAI), Ministry of Home Affairs, stressed, “Trade is mutually beneficial with India’s neighboring countries.” Noting the increasing importance of border trade in the regional economic growth, he spoke about the importance of establishing frontier economic zones, which can open new gateways of trade and cross-border cooperation.

“Technology would be a key enabler in these zones, helping in the seamless movement of goods, improving trade efficiency and enhancing connectivity across international borders,” Mr Singh also said.

Mr Indrajit Mookerjee, Vice Chairman & Executive Director, Texmaco Rail & Engineering Ltd., talked about the problems faced in land acquisition due to regulatory delays and high density of population. He also stressed the need for further strengthening the skill development initiatives in West Bengal to better align them with the changing requirements of the industry.

“AI in logistics will cut costs and guarantee safety,” said Mr Subrat Tripathy, President – Business Development, Adani Ports & Special Economic Zone Ltd. He stressed the importance of port-led development as a driver of economic growth but also pointed out some key issues affecting the logistics sector, such as over-dependence on road transport, low utilization of inland waterways, and a large skill gap among the workforce.

“Efficient logistics cost will hugely reduce manufacturing cost, and faster cargo movement will attract more investment,” said Mr Prithish Chowdhary, Vice Chairman, CII West Bengal State Council & Deputy Managing Director, Titagarh Rail Systems Ltd.

Taking the discussion further, Mr Dinesh Shastri, Managing Director, TM International Logistics, said, “Technology is with us,, and demand is also strong; however, challenges remain in first and last-mile connectivity.” He also pointed out the role of inland waterways in supplementing road and rail transport for building a more efficient and integrated logistics ecosystem.

Kolkata has the highest vehicle density among all metropolitan cities,” said Mr Rupak Barua, Chairman, CII West Bengal State Council and Managing Director, Woodlands Hospital.

Speaking at the event, Mr. Debashis Dutta, Chairman, CII Eastern Region Infrastructure & Logistics Sub-Committee and Director, BGS Group, said, “Logistics is the backbone of all industries, and the significance of data-driven supply chains is on the rise. He highlighted key national initiatives such as PM Gati Shakti, Bharatmala, and Sagarmala and mooted the development of an integrated supply chain ecosystem for the future growth of the logistics sector.

Notably, a status paper titled “Manufacturing Readiness in West Bengal,” prepared by CII West Bengal, was also unveiled during the inaugural plenary.

The colloquium also featured a recognition of the excellence ceremony—CII LogiXcellence 2026. The initiative witnessed participation from over 200 key stakeholders representing the industry, government, and allied sectors.