Work begins at Machilipatnam Port in Andhra Pradesh

The project worth Rs 5,156-crore will help Machilipatnam with an initial cargo capacity of 35 million tonnes pa

Padmesh Prabhune

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 and in the next 24 months people can start seeing large vessels anchoring at Machilipatnam’s port”, said the minister.

Addressing the public meeting after launching the port works, the chief minister said the capacity of the 4-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 will 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 also 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.

Reddy thanked 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.

Andhra Pradesh has been building four new seaports, 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.

–Marex Media