Promising to take up the second major public sector port project in Andhra Pradesh, the Centre wants the State government to suggest an alternative site to the originally proposed Dugarajapatnam dogged by environment, security and viability gap funding issues.
Location advantage
“The Centre is ready to start the project work forthwith once the State Government gives its nod and initiates land acquisition process,” Union Shipping Minister Nitin Gadkari told a delegation of leaders from Prakasam district led by YSR Congress Chief Whip in Parliament Y.V. Subba Reddy which called on him in New Delhi on Wednesday. In the case of Ramayapatnam, no viability gap funding would be required in view of its proximity to the Chennai-Kolkata highway, the MP from Ongole explained to the Minister. Though the State Cabinet headed by then Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy favoured location of the second central port on the east coast at Ramayapatnam, the Centre preferred Dugarajapatnam, though it was found “economically unviable and technically infeasible,” said Prakasam District Development Forum chief Ch. Ranga Rao.
