Machilipatnam : Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy formally launched the Rs 5,156-crore Machilipatnam Port works unveiling the pylon and offering special prayers at the sea. 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 here on Monday 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 is becoming a reality as the Government has completed land acquisition, finalized tender process and completed financial closure besides obtaining all permissions by resolving legal hurdles created by Chandrababu Naidu for selfish reasons, he said.
The port would help grow Machilipatnam like the developed port cities of Mumbai and Chennai as it would be connected with the national highway 216 and Gudivada –Machilipatnam railway line soon enhancing the port accessibility and improving the connectivity, he said, adding it would change the façade of Krishna district.
Machilipatnam would soon become the destination for trade, 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 work 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 land for the construction of the port. Around 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, he said.
The Chief Minister said that the Rs 550-crore new medical college at Machilipatnam 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, he said.
The Government has been building four new sea ports, including the Machilipatnam Port spending over Rs 16,000 crore and 10 fishing harbours and 6 fish land centres with an expenditure of Rs 3,700 crore besides 6 new airports, he said, observing that the Machilipatnam fishing harbour would be completed in the next 4 months and would help the local fishermen grow financially.
Nearly 25,000 new jobs would be created at each port and fishing harbours and fish land centres would help the fishermen improve their lives financially, he added, asserting it would also help stop the migration of fishermen to other coastal cities.
He reminded the people that as per the promise given by him during his Pada Yatra, the Government has reduced the power tariff for imitation jewelers for encouraging the industry.
Responding to the appeal of MLA P Nani (Venkatramaiah), the Chief Minister sanctioned Rs 25 crore for the road over bridge at Medical College, Rs 3 crore for the construction of six community halls, Rs 5 crore for Ambedkar Bhavan repairs besides ordering the District Collector to solve the assigned lands issues relating to 12, 650 acres in 12 villages.
YSRCP MP V Balashowry, MLA P Nani (Venkatramaiah), District Collector P Raja Babu also addressed the gathering.
