The construction of the Machilipatnam Port has begun, with Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy launching the work on May 22. The port will cost Rs 5,156 crore and will have an initial cargo capacity of 35 million tons. It is expected to be completed in two years. This is the third time the foundation stone has been laid for the port, with previous attempts failing due to various reasons.
Jagan Mohan Reddy hopes that the port will help grow Machilipatnam like Mumbai and Chennai, and it will be connected to national highway 216 and Gudivada-Machilipatnam railway line soon, improving accessibility and connectivity. He also believes that the port will create direct and indirect jobs for lakhs of people over time, and help stop the migration of fishermen to other coastal cities.
The government is building four new sea ports, including the Machilipatnam Port, spending over Rs 16,000 crore, as well as 10 fishing harbors and six fish land centers with an expenditure of Rs 3,700 crore, and six new airports. The Chief Minister hopes that the Machilipatnam fishing harbour will be completed in the next four months and will help local fishermen financially.
