The Hyderabad-based M.R.K.R. Constructions and Industries is all set to begin the construction of the fishing harbour proposed at Ameenabad on the Uppada coast of East Godavari district in April.
“The company will begin the works with dredging operations on the project site in April,” Fisheries Department Joint Director (East Godavari) P. Koteswara Rao told The Hindu.
The Fisheries Department has proposed the harbour in the Survey No. 74-82, to facilitate anchoring of 2,500 boats and handling of 1.10 lakh tonnes of fish per annum. The harbour will have a 1.5 km-long training wall as per the project design. The WAPCOS has conducted the topography and sub-soil surveys and the Madras University has carried out the High Tide Level (HTL) survey.
Cost sharing
The State government will bear ₹20.04 crore of the total project cost of ₹350.44 crore, while ₹330 crore will be funded by the Centre from the Fisheries and Aquaculture Infrastructure Development Fund (FIDF) and NABARD Infrastructure Development Assistance (NIDA).
Andhra Pradesh Maritime Board Port Officer (Kakinada) G.V. Raghava Rao said an agreement for the constriction of the fishing harbour was signed with the M.R.K.R, firm on March 18. The project design and other technical parameters are yet to be received from the firm,” he said.
Referring to the agreement with the MRKR, Mr. Raghava Rao said that a target had been set to complete the construction of the fishing harbour within 24 months after the works commenced.
In November, 2020, Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy laid the stone for the Ameenabad harbour in a virtual meeting.