VISAKHAPATNAM: The Rs 10,000 crore plus development projects launched and inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Visakhapatnam on Saturday will bring about a sea change in interior parts of the backward North Coastal Andhra.
While three of the seven development projects – Renovation of Visakhapatnam Railway Station, upgradation and modernisation of Visakhapatnam Fishing Harbour and the port road between Sheela Nagar and Convent Junction in Vizag – will have a direct impact on the economic development of Visakhapatnam, the other three projects – Visakhapatnam - Raipur Greenfield Economic Corridor, GAIL Natural Gas Pipeline project from Srikakulam to Angul and upgradation of Pathapatnam-Narasannapeta road – will have a great impact on the lives and livelihood of people of North Coastal Andhra.
Redevelopment of Visakhapatnam Railway Station into a world class station at an estimated cost of Rs 460 crore will cater to the needs of 75,000 plus passengers everyday. Visakhapatnam will emerge as an important railway destination on the eastern coast of the country. Modern amenities at the railway station will act as a major tourist attraction, thus creating more economic opportunities to local people, besides enhancing the comfort of passengers.
The fishing harbour to be developed at an estimated cost of Rs 152 crore, will double its operation scope. After upgradation and modernisation, the fishing harbour handling capacity will double from 150 tonnes per day to 300 tonnes, provide safe landing and berthing and other modern infrastructure reduce turnaround time in the jetty, reduce wastage and help improve price realisation of marine productss.
The Andhra Pradesh Section of the six-lane greenfield Raipur - Visakhapatnam Economic Corridor to be constructed at a cost of more than Rs 3,750 crore, will provide faster connectivity between the Industrial Nodes of Chhattisgarh and Odisha to Visakhapatnam Port and Chennai - Kolkata National Highway. It will also improve connectivity to tribal and backward areas of Andhra Pradesh and Odisha and most importantly will provide seamless connectivity between hinterland and Visakhapatnam port.
Freight movement time will be reduced by more than half, paving the way for rapid economic development, which hereto is underdeveloped and mostly backward region. The dedicated port road from Convent Junction to Sheela Nagar Junction in Visakhapatnam will ease traffic congestion in Vizag City by segregating local and port-bound goods traffic. Thereby greatly helping the freight movement to the port, cutting down on time, saving fuel, thus wear and tear of the vehicles.
The Narasannapeta to Pathapatnam Section of NH-326A built at a cost of more than Rs 200 crore as part of Srikakulam-Gajapati Corridor, will improve connectivity in North Coastal Andhra. It will certainly herald the rapid economic development of the region, which for decades has been bereft of it.