The draft Master Plan of Visakhapatnam-Kakinada Petroleum, Chemicals and Petrochemical Investment Region (PCPIR) will be notified in the first week of August.
After that three months time will be given for public authorities (panchayats) and one month for individuals to file objections and make suggestions, according to Vice-Chairman of VUDA and PCPIR Special Development Authority N. Yuvaraj.
It will be put on web and displayed at all the 97 villages that are covered in the PCPIR comprising 10 mandals of Visakhapatnam and East Godavari districts.
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The Master Plan is likely to be notified by the year-end after the studies including on CRZ, marine ecology and environment impact assessment, are completed by the respective agencies like NIO, EPTRI, among others. Along with it the land use register will also be made public. Once the Master Plan is ready, AP Pollution Control Board has to conduct a public hearing.
The PCPIR will be readied with all infrastructures and an express highway for petroleum companies to set up refineries. It is planned to improve the fuel reserves of the country by increasing the refining capacity. Two petrochemical complexes – one by GAIL and HPCL at Achyutapuram complex and another by international agencies at Kakinada – are expected to be set up in the PCPIR.
The 138-km Express highway’s alignment will be worked out by Infrastructure Corporation of Andhra Pradesh (INCAP) and APIIC. The road that will be useful to public also providing faster connectivity from Kakinada will be taken up under pubic private partnership. It will be connected to the National Highway. The six-lane, 75-foot road is estimated to cost Rs.1,500 crore which will be recovered by collection of toll. Service roads will be provided to the locals.
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Fishers’ concerns
According to Dr. Yuvaraj, the Fisheries Department has submitted plans for various programmes for the welfare of fishermen as well as addressing their livelihood concerns. Around Rs.400 crore is expected to be spent on construction of two jetties between Kakinada and Visakhapatnam, cold storages, marketing facilities and social infrastructure like schools, hospitals and community centres.