Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Ltd (GRSE), a Navratna Defence PSU, and Yantra India Ltd (YIL) have performed bhoomi puja for five brownfield expansion projects across West Bengal, with the initiatives aimed at strengthening shipbuilding, defence manufacturing and indigenous industrial capabilities.
Three projects of GRSE mark a significant step towards enhancing the shipyard’s manufacturing capacity and infrastructure to meet the growing requirements of the Maritime Forces and other defence and maritime stakeholders.
The bhoomi puja ceremonies were conducted simultaneously at Kidderpore, Shalimar, Raichak and Ishapore.
GRSE expands shipbuilding capacity
As part of its capacity expansion, GRSE has signed lease agreements with Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port, Kolkata for two small shipyards on either bank of the Hooghly, along with a 32-acre riverside property at Raichak.
The facilities will enhance GRSE’s capabilities in warship construction and refit, besides supporting the construction and repair of small and medium-sized commercial vessels.
Raichak to emerge as shipbuilding hub
The Raichak facility, with a 356-metre waterfront, 96-metre jetty and 8-10 metre draught, will be developed as a shipbuilding hub with an investment of more than ₹2,500 crore.
The facility will include a 200-metre dry dock, slipway, launching pad, jetties and block fabrication facilities, enabling the construction of warships up to 200 metres and commercial vessels up to 60,000 DWT.
Shalimar, Kidderpore get upgrades
The 4-acre Timber Pond facility at Shalimar will be rejuvenated with nearly ₹100 crore for medium-sized shipbuilding and repairs. The project includes restoration of the 130-metre dry dock and construction of a 120-metre slipway.
The Damodar facility at Kidderpore Docks, comprising an old workshop and 25-metre waterfront, will receive around ₹70 crore for medium-sized vessel repairs and construction of electric ferries and other small crafts.
YIL invests ₹750 crore in facilities
At YIL’s Metal and Steel Factory at Ishapore, two facilities involving a combined investment of more than ₹750 crore will strengthen indigenous metallurgical and defence manufacturing.
The ₹277.59-crore 3,000-ton Heavy Duty Hydraulic Open Die Forging Press will replace the ageing 2,650-ton press and produce gun barrels, ammunition components and heavy defence forgings.
Radial forging plant
The ₹473.84-crore Radial Forging Plant will manufacture super alloy forgings, aerial bomb tubes, ordnance hardware, railway axles and nuclear reactor components.
With Industry 4.0 and energy-efficient technologies, the facilities are expected to enhance high-end manufacturing, reduce import dependence and support the defence, railway and strategic sectors.
Together, the five projects will strengthen the capabilities of GRSE and YIL while supporting the revival of West Bengal’s industrial ecosystem through employment generation and increased opportunities for ancillary industries, particularly MSMEs.