VIJAYAWADA: Even as the state government is firm that the Centre should establish major port in Dugarajapatnam in Nellore district as assured in the AP State Reorganisation Act, Union Water Resource Minister Nitin Gadkari had recently shot off a letter to Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu informing that the Centre will consider development of Major Port in Vodarevu in Prakasam district jointly with the State Government by creating a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV).
According to sources, in the letter, Gadkari mentioning that Ministry of Shipping giving priority for development of world class port infrastructure in the county with the support of state government, appealed to the CM to consider the proposal for joint development of a major port assuring that all the clearances would be expedited for the proposed location (Vodarevu) once the AP state government responds positively.
However, the state government is of the view that the Centre might washout its hands with the commercially viable Vodarevu port ignoring the establishment of Dugarajapatnam port.“Vodarevu and Dugarajapatnam ports are two different issues and we can not accept the proposal in case of the Centre doing away with the Dugarajapatnam port,’’ an official told TNIE.
Stating that they have debated the issue even before getting the letter from Gadkari, an official said that the CM is of the view that the Centre cannot go away with setting up a port at Vodarevu. “The Centre should not mention Vodarevu as alternative to Dugarajapatnam port and in such scenario, there will be the possibilities of the state government responding positively for the proposal,’’ another official said.
Admitting that Vodarevu port is commercially viable, another official said the chances of the state government responding positively to the request are bleak as it is of the opinion that any private firm can take up the project.
It is learnt that the state government is of the opinion that increasing burden on Visakhapatnam port is necessitating the Centre to set up another port in the state and it is proposing to set up at Vodarevu as it is commercially viable.