VIJAYAWADA: The State government has approved the Detailed Project Report (DPR) of the phase-1 works of Bhavanapadu port in Srikakulam at an estimated cost of Rs 3,669.95 crore.
Special Chief Secretary (Infrastructure and Investment) R Karikal Valaven released orders to this effect on Tuesday. The State Cabinet had given its nod for the development of the port recently.Besides approving the DPR prepared by RITES for the development of Bhavanapadu Non-Major Port under landlord model through the Bhavanapadu Port Development Corporation Limited (BPDCL) under the supervision of the Andhra Pradesh Maritime Board (APMB), the government also accorded administrative sanction to take up its phase-1 works.
The State government will allot `261 crore towards land acquisition cost of 500 acres required for the phase-I development.The government also permitted the APMB to raise funds not exceeding `2,123 crore with the support of the State government. The APMB is also allowed to utilise certain portion of its revenue as equity and escrow in future for debt funding for the project as per the AP Maritime Board Act-2019.
The orders said the State government is keen on developing four non-major ports to cater to the increasing demand of various types of bulk and container cargo, which may likely to increase to 300-350 million tonnes per annum by 2024-25. The projects are Bhavanapadu Port in Srikakulam District, Kakinada SEZ Port in East Godavari, Machilipatnam Port in Krishna District and Ramayapatnam Port in Prakasam District. Kakinada SEZ Port has been awarded to GMR SEZ Gateway Pvt. Ltd. RITES was engaged in preparation of DPRs for the development of Bhavanapadu Port in Srikakulam and Ramayapatnam Port in Prakasam district.
The DPR for the development of Ramayapatnam Port has already been approved and administrative sanction has been accorded to take up development on landlord concept.Andhra Pradesh, which has 974 km-long coastline, the second longest in the country, has 16 non-major ports and one major port at Visakhapatnam. Of the 16, four — Kakinada Port, Ravva Port, Krishnapatnam Port and Gangavaram Port — have already been developed.
‘Main aim to check migration’
Srikakulam: The aim of developing Bavanapdu green field sea port is to check the migration of fishermen from Uddanam mandals for a livelihood, said Deputy Chief Minister and Revenue Minister Dharmana Krishna Das. In a statement from Amavaravati on Tuesday, he thanked the Chief Minister for approving the DPR. “Srikakulam has the longest coastline in the both Telugu states — 193 kilometers. There are 104 fisherfolk villages with a total population of 1.1 lakh,” he said.
Bhavanapadu port
Phase-1 works: Three general cargo berths and a bulk cargo berth, by creating the required infrastructure in 500 acres 36 months: Completion period
The government also gave nod for constructing fishing jetties at Budagatlapalem, Idduvanipalem of Etcherla mandal and Manchineellapeta of Vajrapukotturu in S’kulam , said Dharmana