Mulapeta Port to transform north Andhra: CM YS Jagan Mohan Reddy

Mulapeta (Srikakulam dist): Reiterating the Government's commitment of changing the landscape of north coastal Andhra, Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy said that he would be shifting to Visakhapatnam in September along with his family.

Addressing a public meeting after laying foundation stone for Mulapeta greenfield port in Srikakulam district, which is expected to be completed within two years, he said the four projects, Rs 360-crore fishing harbour at Budagatlapalem, Rs 176-crore lift irrigation project from Gotta barrage to Hira Mandalam reservoir and Rs 300-crore Mahendratanaya offshore reservoir project works would change the face of the district.

The Mulapeta port, which would be built in an area of 1,250 acres with an annual capacity of 23.5 million tonnes, will have four loading and unloading berths to handle exports and imports of coal, multi-purpose containers and general cargo and will provide direct and indirect employment to 25,000 people. It will also play a key role in handling exports and imports from other states including Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh and Odisha, he said.

The Chief Minister regretted that the north Andhra region remained backward for several decades despite the area being rich with the waters of the Vamsadhara and Nagavali rivers.

He further said the Rs 15 crore Manchineellapeta fish land centre would be upgraded as a fishing harbour soon. This would encourage deep sea fishing and prevent migration of fishermen to other parts of the country, Jagan said.

He announced that the foundation stones for Bhogapuram airport and Adani Data Centre would be laid on May 3 among others. While the works for the much-awaited Uddhanam Kidney Research Centre have reached the final stage, the Rs 700-crore safe drinking water project to supply purified water to Uddhanam area from Hiramandalam reservoir would be ready in the next few months to permanently solve the kidney ailments recurrence in this region, he added.