The Hindu Business Line : AP mulls revival of port development board

Kakinada June 19 The Andhra Pradesh Government is considering setting up of a port development board, as its proposal to set up a maritime board is still awaiting Central clearance, according to Mr M.V. Ramana Rao, Minister for Ports, Natural Gas and Infrastructure Development.

After visiting the two ports here - the anchorage as well as the deepwater port - the Minister told presspersons here on Tuesday that the creation of a maritime board had been delayed due to certain hassles and policy matters.

Therefore, the State Government is considering the revival of the port development board to sort out port-related problems.

He said infrastructure facilities at the anchorage port needed improvement. Some of the jetties were in a bad shape and there was a need for construction of new jetties at the old port. As an immediate step, he said, he was authorising port officials to take up improvement of jetties and the wharf road at a cost of Rs 10 lakh.

Shortage of warehouse space was one of the main problems afflicting the port, he said and added that the Government would take a decision on permitting private parties to construct godowns by leasing them port lands. He said a number of railway crossings in the port area were causing traffic jams and he would expedite the decision on construction of a railway overbridge.

Dredging

He said there was definite need for dredging the commercial canal to make the movement of steel barges in the old port easier and it would require Rs 2 crore. A decision would be taken soon on the issue. Since the anchorage port became the hub of rice exports, the Minister said, there was also a need to increase the number of steel barges from the present 88.

He said he would sort out the problems related to increasing the fleet of barges here, after the court verdict.

The proposal of L&T to set up a shipyard here was pending with the State Government, he said.

The Cocanada Chamber of Commerce in a memorandum submitted to Mr Ramana Rao, urged him to increase the number of loading/unloading points at the wharf in view of the increased traffic at the old port. As the traffic was bound to grow, at least 10 more loading/unloading points would be needed and a decision should be taken immediately on the issue.

Mr D. Surya Rao, Chairman of the chamber, urged the Minister to expedite the construction of a rail overbridge to clear the traffic snarls in the port area.

On the issue of reviving the port development board, he said previously it was christened AP Minor Port Development Board and the State Government should now remove the word "minor". It would help in elimination of many hassles and bureaucratic delays, he said.

There was also a need to create more storage space in the port, as many of the commodities exported from the old anchorage port were prone to get damaged in the open, he added.

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