13 more ports by 2020 on AP govt’s agenda
13 more ports by 2020 on AP govt’s agenda
The Andhra Pradesh government proposes to develop 13 non-major ports, including the already-commissioned Krishnapatnam and Gangavaram ports, to handle 200 million tonnes of cargo by 2019-20, Mr K. V. Reddy, state Director of Ports, disclosed here.
The capacities of Krishnapatnam and Gangavaram, with five berths apiece, would be increased in the near future, he added.
Gangavaram Port Ltd, built and operated by D. V. S. Raju & Co., was expected to cross the 15-million tonne mark this year and more berths would be developed in the next phase.
Krishnapatnam had also started operations this year and iron ore was its main cargo, he added.
Mr Reddy stated that the state wanted to develop these ports under the public-private partnership (PPP) model. The government would acquire the land required for these port projects and hand it over to the private developer, he explained.
After Krishnapatnam and Gangavaram, the government would concentrate on Machilipatnam, Odarevu and Nizampatna-Imports.
"As far as Machilipatnam port is concerned, the project has been awarded to Maytas Infrastructure. But following the Satyam scam, the state government is considering giving the project to another company," he revealed.
A detailed project report has been approved for Odarevu port and "we will take up Nizampatnam port later." Bhavanapadu, Kalingapatnam and Narsapur are some of the ports to be taken up later.
The state would allow some of the industries and developers of special economic zones (SEZs) to set up their own jetties or captive ports, he disclosed.
"We have given permission to the Kakinada SEZ to have a captive port in the vicinity of Kakinada port. We have also permitted East Coast Energy, which is setting up a thermal plant in Srikakulam district, to have a captive jetty at Bhavanapadu to import coal," Mr Reddy elaborated.
More ports would also come up between Visakhapatnam and Kakinada, since several industries and projects were coming up there, he added.
Source : Exim News Service - Hyderabad, Dec. 9