Finally, Nellore gets Ramayapatnam port

Nellore: Even though construction of Dugarajapatnam port has been included in the AP Reorganisation Act after the state bifurcation, now the state is constructing the port at Ramayapatnam merging the area in Nellore district. Dugarajapatnam of Nellore (currently in Tirupati district) was denied showing serious safety reasons thinking that it would highly affect ISRO's SHAR project and ecologically fragile Nelapattu bird sanctuary area and the government finalised the Ramayapatnam in Prakasam district. But the project is now visible in Nellore district after district reorganisation, dashing hopes of local population of Prakasam.

Now, the ruling party leaders of Nellore hoped the port is likely to usher development in Kavali region. This would be the second port in the reorganised Nellore district and Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy is going to lay foundation for the works on Wednesday.

Earlier, Prakasam district has witnessed fights for port since 2011-12 and the former CM Kiran Kumar Reddy had almost accepted the Port communicating the Centre that the state is ready to invest 11 percent of equity share and provide land at Ramayapatnam for construction of port.

Rail India Technical and Economic Services Ltd (RITES) subsequently conducted a scientific study and cleared Ramayapatnam proposal a decade ago indicating good viability of port. People of Prakasam were jubilant when the RITES report was shared in the public domain and the Development Organization for Socio Economic Change in Prakasam district expressed happiness over the decision of government.

Earlier, when the port was proposed at Ramayapatnam then Tirupati MP Dr Chinta Mohan succeeded in mounting pressure on the Manmohan Singh-led government by securing signatures from MPs and others to shift the port plan from Ramayapatnam to Dugarajapatnam in 2013.

The Niti Ayog announced in March 2018, that the port and shipbuilding centre at Dugarajapatnam is not viable technically and economically and advised the state to suggest an alternate place. However, in February 2020, the YSR Congress government formed an SPV for the construction of a non-major port at Ramayapatnam.

It was proposed to complete the land acquisition of 509.70 acres under Stage-I by November 2021 and to give a notification for the acquisition of 2,155.84 acres under Stage-II by July 2022 and the process is underway.