Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari today (23 August) presided over the Bhumi Pujan ceremony for five brownfield expansion projects of Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Limited (GRSE) and Yantra India Limited (YIL), worth approximately Rs 3,500 crore.
The virtual ceremony took place from GRSE Bhavan in Kolkata, with foundation ceremonies conducted simultaneously across sites in Kidderpore, Shalimar, Raichak, and Ishapore.
The three GRSE projects include a major expansion at Raichak in South 24-Parganas, where GRSE allocated around Rs 100 crore to rejuvenate the four-acre Timber Pond facility at Shalimar for medium-sized shipbuilding and repairs.
In line with ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ and ‘Make in India’, GRSE has undertaken the major expansion initiative to build next-generation warships and commercial platforms.
As part of this plan, GRSE has signed lease agreements with Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port, Kolkata (SMPK), for two small shipyards lying unused on both banks of the river, as well as a 32-acre riverside property at Raichak.
These new locations will allow GRSE to build and refit warships, as well as small and medium-size commercial vessels.
The 32-acre plot acquired by GRSE at Raichak has a 356-metre waterfront and an existing 96 metre jetty.
Most importantly, it offers a draught of 8-10 metres, making it ideal for ship construction.
The shipyard plans to develop Raichak as a shipbuilding hub with an investment of over Rs 2,500 crore.
This facility will allow the construction of warships up to 200 metres in length and commercial vessels of deadweight tonnage of up to 60,000 tonnes (Supramax vessels).
This facility will have a 200 metre long Dry Dock, a 200-metre-long slipway, a 200 metre long ship launching pad, two jetties of 120 metres and 86 metres, facilities for block fabrication and consolidation, hull repair shops and stores and administrative offices.
The facility has a dilapidated drydock and a waterfront of about 88 metres. GRSE plans to invest nearly Rs 100 crore to rejuvenate and turn it into a shipbuilding and repair facility for medium-size vessels.
The plan involves restoration of the 130 metre Dry Dock, creation of a new 120 metre slipway, shoreline protection work and installation of a Dry Dock gate and Gantry Crane.
The construction of facilities for block fabrication, stores and workshops have also been planned.
An additional investment of approximately Rs 70 crore is directed towards the Damodar facility at Kidderpore Docks to carry out medium-sized vessel repairs and manufacture electric ferries and small crafts along its 25-metre waterfront.
At YIL’s Metal and Steel Factory in Ishapore, two projects with an investment exceeding Rs 750 crore aim to bolster indigenous metallurgical output.
A Rs 277.59-crore 3,000-ton Heavy Duty Hydraulic Open Die Forging Press will replace an older 2,650-ton unit to manufacture gun barrels, ammunition components, and heavy forgings.
Alongside it, a Rs 473.84-crore Radial Forging Plant will produce super alloy forgings, aerial bomb tubes, ordnance hardware, railway axles, and nuclear reactor components.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh highlighted that a major transformation is happening in West Bengal, stating that the region is witnessing a fresh wave of growth.
Singh commended regional leadership for resolving long-pending land transfer protocols with exceptional speed, noting that both YIL facilities integrate Industry 4.0 and energy-efficient systems to reduce import dependency while assisting ancillary micro, small, and medium enterprises across the state.
