Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy formally launched the Rs 5,156 crore Machilipatnam Port works at the sea on Monday. The construction of the port, with an initial cargo capacity of 35million tons, is scheduled to be completed in two years.

Addressing the public meeting after launching the port works, the Chief Minister said the capacity of the 4-berth deep water port would be increased to 116 million tons as the cargo traffic increases gradually.

The port is becoming a reality as the Government has completed land acquisition, finalized tender process and completed financial closure besides obtaining all permissions by resolving legal hurdles, he said.

Machilipatnam would soon become the care of address for trade and commerce and industrial growth as Telangana and Chhattisgarh also would make use of the port resulting in the growth of ancillary industries creating direct and indirect work for lakhs of people over a period of time, the Chief Minister said.

“In the next 24 months, you can see big ships anchoring in the Machilipatnam sea waters,” he said, thanking the farmers who had given land for the construction of the port.

The Chief Minister said that the Rs. 550 crore new medical college at Machilipatnam is getting ready and admissions would commence by August or September. It would cater to the medical and health needs of the people of Pedana, Avanigadda and Kaikaluru, he said.

He reminded the people that as per the promise given by him during his Pada Yatra, the Government has reduced the power tariff for imitation jewellery for encouraging the industry.