Kolkata Port Trust

Date of Issue: October 17, 2003

This cover was recent addition to my collection.

The cover was issued on occasion of 133 years of the Kolkata Port Trust, in 2003. (1870 - 2003). The concept for this special cover was by Mr. Dipok Dey, and designed by Mr. Sankhajit Jana.

Port of Kolkata:  The Port of Kolkata is a riverine port in the city of Kolkata, India. It is the oldest operating port in India, having originally been constructed by the British East India Company, after the company received trading rights from the Mughal emperor, Aurangzeb.

Following the shift of power from the company to the British crown, a port commission was set up in 1870. Though the port was conceived to be a commercial port and gateway of eastern India, the port played a very important role in the Second World War. It was bombed twice by the Japanese forces. After the independence, the Commissioners for the Port of Kolkata was in responsibility of the port till January 1975 when Major Port Trusts Act, 1963, came into force.

The Port has two distinct dock systems - Kolkata Docks at Kolkata and a deep water dock at Haldia Dock Complex, Haldia.

In the 19th century, Kolkata Port was the premier port in British India. After independence its importance decreased because of factors including the Partition of Bengal (1947), reduction in size of the port hinterland and economic stagnation in eastern India. In the 21st century due to the east Indian economic recovery and infrastructure improvements, the port grew swiftly to become the nation's third largest container port. It was one of India's fastest growing ports in 2004-05.

Text Source: Wikipedia