Calcutta, May 30: A second effort is being made to set up a container port in Kulpi, South 24-Parganas, 80km from Calcutta.

The West Bengal Industrial Development Corporation (WBIDC), Calcutta Port Trust and Bengal Port, a consortium of Dubai Port, Keventer Agro and the Mukand Group, are likely to sign a deal in a month.

Chief secretary A.K. Deb today held a meeting with Union shipping secretary A.P.V.M. Sharma, state industries secretary Sabyasachi Sen and WBIDC director M.V. Rao to discuss the project.

“We will require about 500 acres and almost all of it is government land. A small area needs to be privately purchased and that can happen through consensus. Some brick-kilns will have to be relocated,” Sen said later. “The shipping secretary, too, feels we need an additional port and we hope the agreement will be signed in a month,” Sen added.

A memorandum of understanding had been signed in 2001 between Keventer Agro and the WBIDC. Sen said it lapsed as “certain issues” like “water-sharing between the port trust and the private company and engagement of river pilots to bring ships from sand heads had cropped up”.

The shipping secretary today promised the port trust’s “co-operation”.

The state also wants a deep-sea port. Sen said the government would approach the Centre for approval after finalising its location.