Aurobindo Realty and Infrastructure Private Limited (ARIPL) has intensified construction activity of the ₹3,000-crore greenfield seaport with a planned cargo handling capacity of 16 million tonnes at Kona village in the Kakinada Special Economic Zone (KSEZ) in Andhra Pradesh.
This is the third seaport in Kakinada district, which is being built on a 1,725-acre area including sea-accredited land. The port is approximately 25 km north-east to the existing deep sea port near Kumbhabhishekam mudflat. The State-run anchorage port is dedicated only for rice exports.
“Construction activity of the greenfield seaport commenced two and a half months ago at Kona. The breakwater activity is in full swing. The breakwater component is a lengthy work targeted to be completed within 20 months,” said Nagarjuna Tadury, senior vice-president, Aurobindo Realty and Infra Private Limited.
Deadline
“Dredging activity will commence by next March. Various other components including road and rail network would also be readied,” Mr. Nagarjuna told The Hindu.
The construction of the three berths is expected to be completed within 24 months as per the action plan of the project. “We are aiming to complete the construction of the three berths within 24 months to commission the first phase to begin the cargo handling,” added Mr. Nagarjuna.
Activity picks up
The greenfield seaport will handle various kinds of cargo, such as coal, granite, fertilizers and raw material used to manufacture fertilizers. “In the first phase, the annual handling capacity is 16 million tonnes of cargo such as timber and steel production. However, granite and fertilizers are the regular cargos to be shipped from the Kakinada coast,” said Mr. Nagarjuna.
The Aurobindo Group had recently acquired the Kakinada SEZ from the GMR Group. After a lull of a few years, the activity on KSEZ is now back on track with the proposed establishment of the greenfield seaport, Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT) and a bulk drug park.
In September, the Department of Pharmaceuticals in principle offered ₹1,000 crore aid for a bulk drug park which was proposed to be established at the KSEZ. The State government was asked to submit a Detailed Project Report to the Centre by the end of this year for the establishment of the drug park.
