Kolkata port is the oldest port in India which is rich in history and was very important for the colonial powers and for the country. The strategic importance of Kolkata port might have changed but continues to remain economically very significant for India and its development.
East India Company
Kolkata port was established by the East India Company after Aurangazeb granted licence to the company to build and maintain the port. The port became the economic gateway and engine of India. After the 1857 mutiny, when the control of East India Company was transferred to the crown, the Kolkata port became a property of the British empire. The port was then managed by a port commission set up by the British.
Partition and effects of it