Kriscity to come up in coastal belt of Nellore

Nellore: The Andhra Pradesh Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (APIIC) is planning to develop the 'Kriscity', which would be another jewel in the crown of the Nellore district, as part of Chennai- Bengaluru Industrial Corridor in the coastal mandals of the Gudur division, shortly in around 13,000 acres with an estimated cost of Rs 37,500 crore.

It may be recalled that the Union Government had sanctioned Rs 2,500 crore for the Krishnapatnam north node with a project investment of Rs 2,139.44 crore. Now, the new project is coming up in Thamminapatnam, Ballavolu, Momidi, Vellapalem, Thurpu Kanupuru, Kothapatnam, and Siddavaram in Chillakuru and Kota mandals in the Nellore district. There have been proposals for the Corridor since 2010 and the project has been speeded up recently.

A portion of the land is proposed for the Kriscity and will be allocated for educational institutions, skill development units, research and development projects besides residential, commercial, and tourism-related projects coming up in the coastal belt. Public transport, pedestrian ways, parks, and others would also be developed on a priority basis. Initially, basic infrastructure is being developed in around 2,500 acres of land for developing roads, water purification plants, drains, electric lines, and others for attracting the entrepreneurs. The National Industrial Corridor Development and Implementation Trust (NICDIT) deployed Jacobs Engineering Group for preparing the Master Plan and designs for roads and other structures in the area, according to officials. 

The government has formed a special purpose vehicle (SPV)– the Krishnapatnam Industrial City Development Limited (KICDL) between DMIDC (Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Development Corporation) and APIIC (AP Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation) to establish, promote and facilitate the development of Krishnapatnam Industrial Node under CBIC. This SPV has further appointed KPMG Consortium as Programme Manager for taking up the works. Food products, textiles, metal products, automobiles, electronics, communication, and other products would be manufactured in the Kriscity, officials said.

There is a potential for direct employment for 1,26,600 and indirect employment for another 5,15,900 from the units being set up here.

APIIC officials are planning to improve the skills of the local unemployed for accommodating them in the units being float in the zone. Now, they are collecting the data of the category-wise educated people in the region for promoting employment as per guidelines of the state government of 75 per cent reservation to the local jobless population.