Jaganmohan Reddy-led Andhra Pradesh government has initiated the first step to build a Rs 10,000 crore greenfield port at Ramayapatnam in the state’s Prakasam district as a non-major port, a location which the Central government is also “examining” to develop as a major port.
The state government, through RITES Ltd, has filed an application with the expert appraisal committee (EAC) attached to ministry of environment forest and climate change, to set the ball rolling on the terms of reference for environment and coastal regulation zone clearances for the project.
On Monday, shipping minister Mansukh Mandaviya told Parliament that the Central government has set up a committee to examine the development of a new major port at Ramayapatnam and is looking into the draft report submitted by the said panel.
Ramayapatnam will now be the focus of a bargain between the centre and the state government on developing the new port to replace the site earlier identified at Dugarajapatnam in Nellore district as part of a deal when the state was sliced into two.
By taking the lead to secure environment and CRZ clearances for the Ramayapatnam site, the state government has signalled its intentions to build the new port as a private port through the public private partnership (PPP) mode without the backing of the Centre, say the shipping ministry officials.
