The master plan for the proposed Visakhapatnam-Kakinada Petroleum, Chemical and Petrochemical Investment Region (VK-PCPIR) will be announced shortly. The Government of India (GOI), proposed to set up the VK-PCPIR in view of the availability of abundant gas and oil reserves in the area, Andhra Pradesh Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (APIIC) vice-chairman and managing director Jayesh Ranjan said.
Participating in the VK-PCPIR Special Development Authority meeting, Jayesh Ranjan said a Special Development Authority was constituted for the overall development of 97 villages in 10 mandals of the East Godavari and Visakhapatnam. Of them, fishermen were residing in 55 villages and the project would help improve their living standards. Nine villages in Uppadakothappali mandal, three each in Tondagi mandal and Kakinada rural mandal of the East Godavari district will fall under the jurisdiction of the project, he informed.
Further, a six-lane road of length 138 km and width 75 m will be laid soon between the two ports of Gangavaram and Kakinada. The alignment of the road was finalised and the draft notification will be issued soon. The state and national highways will be linked with the six-lane road. The land acquisition process will commence after seeking public opinions in the respective villages, he averred.
The ‘Green Field Mode’ will be implemented to avoid shifting people from the villages. The project ensures livelihood to as many as 12 lakh people, directly or indirectly. Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) of Achyutapuram Special Economic Zone (SEZ) and Gas Authority of India Limited (GAIL) came forward to set up major units in the PCPIR. Meanwhile, many international companies were evincing interest in opening their units in the Kakinada Special Economic Zone (KSEZ), Jayesh Ranjan said.
Collector Neetu Prasad assured of extending necessary help to acquire land for the proposed project in the district and added that proposals relating to the development activities in fishermen villages will be submitted shortly.
VK-PCPIR Special Development Authority vice-president and VUDA vice-chairman N Yuvaraj, VUDA chief city planner Rj Vidyulatha, deputy director V Ram Kumar, joint collector R Mutyala Raju, revenue divisional officers Jawaharlal Nehru, Sampat Kumar, district revenue officer B Yadagiri and officials of KSEZ, officials of Fisheries and Seaport were present.