The Board members of Kolkata Port Trust (KoPT) on Wednesday gave a green signal to the opening of the Eden channel. This, after the technical advisory committee (TAC) had given clearance for opening the channel.

“But there needs to be another meeting of the Board for the approval of tenders. We hope that once the work starts, it will finish within three-four months and the channel could be thrown open by April next year,” said A Majumdar, acting-chairman of KoPT.

The TAC had earlier approved the removal of 1,200 metres of the five-kilometer stretch, which would throw open the channel and allow the movement of ships. Port officials are hoping that they would be able to start work on the channel by December or January.

The opening up of the channel, however, is being opposed by the pilots’ body. In a letter to the chairman, the Calcutta Hooghly Pilot Guild opposed the move saying that it would destroy the existing Auckland bar and thereby harm the port.

Captain Pravin Saha, member of the guild, said: “We have opposed the opening up of the channel since it has a history of being unstable. The Eden channel can only be good in the short run but for long term benefit it is important to make sure that the Auckland bar does not close down.”

Meanwhile, Majumdar has said that the port authorities would place the demand of the pilots to the TAC which would be able to look into the technical points proposed by the pilots’ body.