183 acres to be acquired for Machilipatnam port works

The state government will acquire 183 acre land to start the Machilipatnam port construction works.

The government will get Rs 100 crore for the land acquisition from the Andhra Pradesh Maritime Board, which agreed to release the amount in 20 days. Transport minister Perni Venkatramaiah (Nani) on Wednesday held a meeting with the officials of the revenue, Maritime Board, infrastructure and investment (ports) development and other departments at the collector's camp office to discuss the requirements to start the port construction works.

Karikala Valavan, principal secretary, department of industries, infrastructure and investment (ports development), Krishna district collector J Nivas, Maritime Board CEO K Muralidharan, joint collector K Madhavilatha and other officials participated in the meeting.

The port will be constructed in two phases and needs 3,836.8 acre land.

The first phase works need 1,926.39 acre land and 1,910 acre will be required for the second phase of works.

The government has 1,727 acre on its own and now it needs 183 acre private land to start the first phase works. The Maritime Board assured to release the Rs 100 crore to acquire the land now. The acquired land will be used for the development of infrastructure like laying rail tracks and roads. A master plan has been prepared for the construction of the port.

Minister Perni Nani requested the principal secretary Karikala Valavan to co-operate for the release of Rs 400 crore needed for the second phase of works.

Karikala Valavan instructed the officials to take up construction works for four berths and construct 12 berths in the second phase. He said 26.12 million tonne cargo exports and imports can be made with completion of first phase of works.

He said 89.85 million tonnes of exports and imports will be made with completion of the second phase works. He said 20,000 workers will get livelihood directly or indirectly with completion of the Machilipatnam port.

Perni Nani asked collector Nivas to submit the details of land acquisition to be made in the first phase. Vice-chairman of the Machilipatnam Urban Development Authority (MUDA) Narayana Reddy, Machilipatnam RDO N S K Khajavali, officials of the state survey and land records, revenue, ports and others attended the meeting.

Construction of port is the long-0cherished dream of Machilpatnam people and had been pending for a long time. Transport minister Nani has taken initiative to start the land acquisition works and get funds from Maritime Board.