Multi-modal transport offers huge employment

Hyderabad: Preparations are on for the foundation stone laying ceremony for the Bhogapuram Greenfield International Airport in Vizianagaram district of Andhra Pradesh. Similarly, efforts are for the groundbreaking ceremony for the Ramayapatnam Port in the Prakasham district. Besides, most of the nine fishing harbors dotting the coastline have been completed and some are nearing completion.

That apart the State is working on good connectivity to the other ports through the coastal corridor and industrial corridors, thus, providing a multi-modal transport eco-system to drive the growth of the State.

The immediate beneficiaries of the evolving multi-modal transport system would be the people of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.

Speaking to The Hans India, a senior Visakhapatnam Port official said, "AP and TS could push the boundaries to unleash a series of activities to engage in the export activities, not limited to the agriculture products, through aviation and maritime routes."

However, neither of the states has put in place effective aviation and maritime studies and skill development programmes to provide the needed technical and non-technical skills to seize the employment opportunities that come with the development of the multi-modal transport eco-system.

As a result, it is students who specialise in different segments of airport and port management and operations and allied courses being offered in other States like Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, West Bengal and Kerala, that are preferred by the prospective employers, say sources at Kakinada Seaports.

It is only NALSAR University of Law, Hyderabad, which is offering legal education both in aviation and maritime, and there are no such programmes in Andhra Pradesh.

In the wake of AP and TS mooting development of small airports, according to sources in the AP State Higher Education Department, proposals were earlier made to put in place skill development programmes related to maritime and aviation, but in vain. Besides, steps are afoot to increase railroad and highway connectivity in both the Telugu states. However, the governments are in a slumber, making the local youth lose out to candidates with requisite skills from other parts of the country, ruled the sources.