Navy nixes Nakkapalli Port citing security threat

Even as prime minister Manmohan Singh is scheduled to hold a review meeting in a couple of weeks from now with all the heads of the departments concerned in New Delhi to decide on the site for setting up of a major port, the Eastern Naval Command (ENC) has raised an objection to the proposal for such a project at Nakkapalli citing security threat to a new Naval base in the vicinity of the village.

However, minister for infrastructure, ports and investments Ganta Srinivasa Rao has asked the officials of all the departments concerned to prepare plans for taking up the proposed port. He is understood to have requested the Navy to cooperate as the project was a major developmental activity in the East Coast.

Addressing a review meeting with Navy, GVMC, District Administration and VUDA officials here on Monday, the minister also called upon the Eastern Naval

Command to help hasten the process of development in the area particularly especially in the case of launching international flights from Visakhapatnam Airports.

He urged the Navy officials to hold discussions with Silk Air, which is keen to operate international flights from Visakhapatnam Airport.

Pointing out that the city airport timings were increased recently, the minister asked the Navy, Airport and Railway authorities to cooperate in projects to be undertaken for development of the city and the region. He said the the department of railways was not giving its clearance for the Bus Rapid Transport System (BRTS) creating hurdles for GVMC to go ahead with the project works.

The minister said Nakkapalli was the most suitable place for a major as it had well-developed rail, air and road transport facilities and it was more conducive for taking up industrial development initiatives successfully in view of the available infrastructure.

The minister announced that a meeting with representatives of Silk Air management would be conducted in Hyderabad on Tuesday.