Nizampatnam Port project found to be unsuitable

Chinta Visweswara Rao, Chairman of Navayuga Engineering Company (NEC) informed that the proposed
Nizampatnam Port project in Andhra Pradesh is not suitable for development as the land earmarked by the government falls within a reserve forest and green belt areas.

He informed this to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) when he deposed before the agency as witness on the disproportionate assets case of Kadapa MP Jaganmohan Reddy.

It may be noted that NEC acquired 65 per cent of Vanpic Ports that was floated for the purpose of building Nizampatnam Ports and Vadarevu Ports. Of these two ports, only Vadarevu in Prakasam district is said to be viable, Rao said.

The ongoing CBI probe into the disproportionate assets of Kadapa MP Jaganmohan Reddy also covers land allotment to Vadarevu and Nizampatnam Ports and Industrial Corridor (Vanpic).

He also said that Navayuga group, which had earlier built Krishnapatnam port in the state, is interested in building one more world-class port.

NEC has already bagged another port project (Astranga Port Project) near Konark in Puri district of Orissa. Similarly, after the exit of original promoters, including Maytas Infra, NEC took up the Machilipatnam port project also, he said. NEC had the best technology and expertise for the job, Visweswara Rao said in his statement.