VIJAYAWADA: Will the Machilipatnam Port see the light of the day in the near future? Is the government sincere to take it to the logical end?
These questions were posed by a management lecturer K Murali Kishore at a workshop on the port-based development, jointly organised by The Andhra Chambers of Commerce and Industry Federation (ACCIF) and the Commissionerate of Customs-Vijayawada, here on Friday.
Pointing out at the proposed Missile Testing Range at Nagayalanka by the Ministry of Defence, he wanted to know how could a port be developed, that too in the PPP mode, at Bandar (Machilipatnam), which was just 35 km away from Nagayalanka?
He said since no private company would want to suffer losses, as would be the case, when there were restrictions on the movement of vessels in the sea, it would be better if the government made Bandar as a major port instead of Dugarajapatnam.
Former MP Yalamanchili Sivaji, expressing concern over the delay in development of Machilipatnam Port, wanted to know if the promoters of Krishnapatnam Port, who were also promoters of the proposed port at Machilipatnam, were delaying the latter because it would be like sharing the business they had at present.
He also expressed his reservations about the ‘exclusive zone’ claimed by the Krishnapatnam Port and said such ‘exclusive zone’ would hamper the establishment and development of other ports along the coast, which the state government claimed to be serious about.
“I want to see the Machilipatnam port, one of the oldest ports in the country, up and running. It is my dream to see it flourish with trade,” he added.
Krishnapatnam Port Chief Advisor VVSN Murthy said his parent company Navayuga Engineering Company Limited was ready to start the works, once the state government handed over the required land.