Union Shipping, Highways, Road Transport and Water Resources Minister Nitin Gadkari dashed off a letter to AP Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu to send immediate proposals for setting up a special purpose vehicle (SPV) to develop the second major port in AP to be located at Vadarevu beach in Prakasam district under the government sector.

Gadkari has talked about the possibility of the Centre giving immediate permissions based on the State’s proposals for developing Vadarevu port which has long been under consideration. With joint efforts between State and Centre, this port is proposed to be developed on a massive scale considering the natural facilities available there and huge future potential for cargo movement.

The first and only existing major port in government sector is at Visakhapatnam as of now. The Kakinada port is of medium size while the fast developing Krishnapatnam port is a privately built port.

The Union Shipping Ministry has sought allocation of nearly 3,000 acres at Vadarevu beach for development of sufficient infrastructure there for the next several decades.

The Centre has undertaken an ambitious and massive task of connecting major ports by laying national highways and connecting highways in coastal regions at Rs. 16 lakh crore all over the country. All this is taken up under the Sagaramala project. In AP alone, highways and other developmental works are taken up with an estimated cost of Rs. 3 lakh crore in the next few years.