3 min readHyderabadMay 22, 2023 03:29 PM IST
First published on: May 22, 2023 at 03:29 PM IST
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy formally launched the Rs 5,156 crore Machilipatnam port works in the state’s Krishna district Monday by unveiling the pylon and offering special prayers. The construction of the port, with an initial cargo capacity of 35 million tonnes, is scheduled to be completed in two years.
Addressing the public meeting after launching the port works, the chief minister said the capacity of the four-berth deep water port would be increased to 116 million tonnes as the cargo traffic increases gradually. The port project is becoming a reality as the state government has completed land acquisition, finalised the tender process and completed financial closure, besides obtaining all permissions by resolving legal hurdles, Reddy said.
The port would help Machilipatnam grow like the developed port cities of Mumbai and Chennai and it would be connected with NH 216 and the Gudivada–Machilipatnam railway line soon, he said, adding that the project would change the face of Krishna district.
The new port will also trigger trade, commerce and industrial growth as Telangana and Chhattisgarh would make use of it, resulting in the growth of ancillary industries creating direct and indirect work for lakhs of people over a period of time, he asserted.
“In the next 24 months, you can see big ships anchoring in the Machilipatnam sea waters,” Reddy said, thanking the farmers who had given land for the port’s construction. About 4,000 acres of government land would be gradually linked to the port which is being built across an area of 242 acres given by farmers, he added.
The YSRCP leader said the new medical college at Machilipatnam being set up at a cost of Rs 550 crore is getting ready and admissions would commence by August or September. It would cater to the medical and health needs of the people of Pedana, Avanigadda and Kaikaluru areas, he said.
Andhra Pradesh has been building four new sea ports, including the one at Machilipatnam spending over Rs 16,000 crore, besides 10 fishing harbours and six fish landing centres are being set up at a cost of Rs 3,700 crore. Six new airports are also coming up, he said, observing that the Machilipatnam fishing harbour would be completed in the next four months and would help local fishermen grow financially.
At least 25,000 new jobs would be created at each port, and the harbours and fish landing centres would help the fishermen improve their lives financially, he said, underlining that it would also help stop the migration of fishermen to other coastal cities.
As part of his visit to the district, the chief minister also sanctioned Rs 25 crore for a bridge near the medical college, Rs 3 crore to construct six community halls and Rs 5 crore to repair Ambedkar Bhavan.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy. (File) 
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