Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy formally launched the ₹5,156 crore Machilipatnam Port works by unveiling the pylon and offering special prayers near the sea on May 22 (Monday). The construction of the port, with an initial cargo handling capacity of 35 million tons, is scheduled to be completed in two years.
Addressing a public meeting at Machilipatnam soon after launching the port works, the Chief Minister said the capacity of the four-berth deep-water port would be increased to 116 million tons as the cargo traffic grows.
“The port is becoming a reality as the government has completed the land acquisition, finalised the tender process and completed financial closure besides obtaining all permissions by resolving legal hurdles created by Chandrababu Naidu for his selfish ends,” he said.
The port would help Machilipatnam grow like the port cities Mumbai and Chennai, and aid the development of Krishna district. It would be connected with National Highway 216 and the Gudivada–Machilipatnam railway line soon for better access.
Major fillip
Machilipatnam would soon become a major address for trade and commerce and industrial growth as Telangana and Chhattisgarh also would make use of the port resulting in the growth of ancillary industries, creating direct and indirect employment for lakhs of people over a period of time, the Chief Minister said
“In the next 24 months, you can see big ships anchoring in the Machilipatnam sea waters,” he said, thanking the farmers who had given their land for the construction of the port. About 4,000 acres of government land would be gradually linked to the port being built in an area of 242 acres given by the farmers.
Medical college
Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy said that the ₹550 crore new medical college at Machilipatnam was 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, he said.
“The government is building four new seaports, including the Machilipatnam port, by spending over ₹16,000 crore and 10 fishing harbours and six fish landing centres at an expenditure of ₹3, 700 crore besides six new airports, he said, observing that the Machilipatnam fishing harbour would be completed in the next four months.
About 25,000 new jobs would be created at each port and the fishing harbours and fish landing centres would help the fishermen improve their lives financially, he said, adding they would also help stop the migration of fishermen to other coastal cities.
He said as per the promise made by him during his padayatra, the government reduced the power tariff for imitation jewellers for encouraging the industry.
Responding to an appeal by MLA P. Nani (Venkatramaiah), Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy sanctioned ₹25 crore for a road over-bridge at the medical college, ₹3 crore for the construction of six community halls, and ₹5 crore for Ambedkar Bhavan repairs besides ordering the Collector to solve the issues related to 12,650 acres of assigned land in 12 villages.
YSRCP MP V. Balashowry, and Collector P. Raja Babu also addressed the gathering.
