Bandar (Machilipatnam) Port Targeted to Complete by December
He said road construction and repair works worth Rs 3,380 crore were taken up in a single year — a first in the state’s history — while ensuring strict adherence to quality standards.
Vijayawada:AP minister B.C. Janardhan Reddy on Wednesday said that more than 50 per cent of the Bandaru (Machilipatnam) Port works have been completed at a cost of Rs 1,760 crore, with the remaining construction scheduled for completion by December this year.
Addressing a press conference after a high-level review meeting at the Collectorate here, the minister said the state government was according top priority to road infrastructure in line with the Chief Minister’s directions, with a focus on attracting investments and improving connectivity.
He said road construction and repair works worth Rs 3,380 crore were taken up in a single year — a first in the state’s history — while ensuring strict adherence to quality standards.
On the Bandaru Port project, Janardhan Reddy said around 42 per cent of the works, estimated at about Rs 1,700 crore, were still pending. He said monthly review meetings would be held to ensure timely completion.
He added that the Gilakaladindi fishing harbour had faced certain technical issues but would be completed by June. He also said the Chief Minister had approved naming the harbour after former minister Nadikuditi Narasimha Rao.
Providing details of road works, the minister said that across Andhra Pradesh, road repairs and pothole-filling works covering nearly 16,000 km had been completed at a cost of `1,081 crore. In Krishna district alone, damaged roads stretching 1,518 km were repaired at an expenditure of `160 crore.
“In Machilipatnam constituency, works worth Rs33 crore covering 166 km have been completed. Funds were also sanctioned for Pamarru (Rs 28 crore), Gannavaram (Rs 27 crore), Gudivada (Rs 16 crore), Avanigadda (`20 crore), Penamaluru (`15 crore) and Pedana (Rs 26 crore), with works progressing at a brisk pace,” he said.
Excise and mines minister Kollu Ravindra said road works worth `46 crore were taken up in Machilipatnam constituency and thanked the government for timely fund allocation. He said Bandaru Port would become operational by December, with quarterly reviews being conducted to fast-track the project, while harbour operations are expected to commence by June 15 after the fishing ban period.
