The establishment of the State Capital Region (SCR) in its immediate neighbourhood provides a silver lining to West Godavari, which is basically an agrarian district that has been lagging behind in development.
Going by the Chief Minister’s announcement on the Floor of the House on Thursday, the district is expected to get a National Institute of Technology (NIT), Institute of Fine Arts and Commerce, Airport, ceramic industry, Horticulture Research Station, coconut-based coir industries and 100 per cent drip irrigation in oil palm.
An airport is all set to come up on an abandoned airstrip, which was built during World War-II by the British at Tadepalligudem. Forest lands are available for setting up the NIT, the first of its kind in the residuary State, and a horticulture research station adjoining Andhra Pradesh Horticulture University at V.R. Gudem, a stone’s throw away from Tadepalligudem. While ceramic industry has been proposed at Bhimadole, a port will come up at Narsapur.
The Gannavaram airport, proposed to be upgraded into an international airport, is just 35 km away from Eluru city.
Hailing the proposal for a metro connectivity between Guntur and Hanuman Junction via Vijayawada, Aikya Vedika, a forum for the development of Eluru, seeks to extend the connectivity up to Eluru for a stretch of 18 km in the south. “Eluru will be emotionally and physically connected to the SCR only when it is included in the Metro Rail project”, says forum convener and industrialist Brijgopal Lunani.
Tadepalligudem, which is centrally located in the district, hogs the limelight now with the proposed airport, NIT and horticulture research station in its kitty.
Air connectivity with a cargo facility is expected to give a big push to aqua and marine exports from the region. Similarly, a port at Narsapur, with landing facility for mechanised boats and marketing facility for seafood, is likely to bring in a turnaround in the lives of more than 50,000 fishermen from Narsapur and Mogaltur mandals, besides helping them do business without middlemen.
