Bandar port works to commence in January

Machilipatnam(Krishna District): The Machilipatnam port construction works will be commence either by January month ending or in the first week of February next year, disclosed ex-Minister and Machilipatnam MLA Perni Venkataramaiah alias Nani. He said that Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy will start the works by laying foundation stone, which would be completed within 30 months. The State government will make an agreement with Megha Engineering Company to execute the work, he added.

The MLA conducted a press meet at the R&B guest house in Machilipatnam on Wednesday and revealed details of the port construction. It is estimated that the construction of the port will cost around Rs 5,253.88 crore, of which 75% will be a bank loan and the remaining 25% will be provided by the State government. He said the Power Finance Corporation already gave its nod for sanctioning a 75% loan for port construction. As part of the port construction, firstly, 4 berths will be constructed at a cost of Rs 1,802 crore, of which except cargo berths, remaining three berths will be constructed with an estimation of Rs 548 crore each.

Nani informed that the cargo berth will be built at a cost of Rs 158 crore. All these berths are suitable for around 80,000 tons capacity ships, and berths with a capacity of more than one lakh tons will be built in the second phase. The first phase of port works will be taken up in 1,730 acres of government land. Private land is not being taken for first-phase construction. "We have to acquire 235 acres of private land for road-cum-rail track construction only. We are estimating the port construction will need above Rs 5,000 crore out of which Rs 446 crore for the construction of break-water walls construction on the north and south sides, Rs 435 crore for sudden break-water in the south, Rs 1,242.88 crore for dredging works, Rs 706.26 crore for approach channel construction for the purpose of the ships navigation and another Rs 452.07 crore for ships turning circle and berth packets constructions," MLA Perni Nani explained.

He said that the district people have been waiting for the past 18 years for the completion of port construction works. Due to former CM YS Rajasekhara Reddy's sudden death, the port construction work was delayed, he stated. He said at present all the hurdles were removed for port construction and the central government is likely to give environmental approvals in three weeks. The MLA also stated that the Vijayawada-Machilipatnam national highway also will be expanded with 6 lines in view of the port construction.