Trucks stranded on Durgapur Expressway near Palsit in Burdwan. Picture by Pradip Sanyal

Calcutta, Aug. 29: Hundreds of crores worth of export items, including some from Tata Steel, are stuck on Durgapur Expressway.

“Consignments of 200 tonnes of metal sheets were scheduled to be exported from Calcutta this week. All of them have been deferred by agents,” said Amin Khan, general manager, eastern India, Singapore Airlines Cargo.

The airline flies the sole dedicated international cargo carrier out of Calcutta.

According to Khan, the metal sheet cargo from Tata Steel’s Jamshedpur plant is valued around Rs 20 crore. It is scheduled to be despatched in 10 consignments.

Every month, Tata Steel sends 30 to 60 tonnes of metal sheet, worth approximately Rs 3 crore, to Japan as raw material for car manufacturers like Nissan.

“Eight trucks carrying the consignments are stuck on the road. We have stopped other consignments and informed Nissan officials. The consignments can go only after the disruption is over,” said Jaideep Raha, managing director, Jetex Oceanair, Nissan’s export agent in Calcutta.

Tata officials refused to comment.

Although Durgapur Expressway is not the only link between Jamshedpur and Calcutta — a distance of around 350km — truckers prefer this route. “It is shorter and faster. The road condition is also very good,” said Raha.

Asansol subdivisional officer A.P. Roy said: “If Durgapur Expressway is closed, containers and trailers carrying heavy machinery from Jharkhand have to be diverted through Bankura and West Midnapore, which would mean a detour of around 70km.”

The Singur siege has also kept heavy machinery meant for export from Jamshedpur and its adjoining areas on hold.

The consignments stranded on the highway belong to companies like Allied Centrifugal Pumps, Cummins and CTC India.

“Items like bearings, pumps, manhole covers and spare parts are flown out of Calcutta to the US and Europe,” an official of the airport’s international cargo division said.

Singapore Airlines was scheduled to carry 15 tonnes of heavy machinery this week, officials said.

“Machinery export is likely to be hit further if Durgapur Expressway is not cleared,” said an official of another international airline that carries cargo from Calcutta along with passengers.

Import agents seem have found a way to avoid the blockade that has brought all heavy vehicles to a standstill. They are loading their products on cars and other small vehicles, airport sources said.