Bandar port will start ops from July 2026

 Vijayawada: Minister for Mines & Geology Kollu Ravindra on Saturday said that Bandar port would start functioning from July 2026. He said the port would increase employment opportunities for local youth.

Participating in the Machilipatnam Beach Festival on Saturday, the minister said that Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan had been taking steps to create employment opportunities for youth and accelerate economic growth in State.

The minister said that the Masula Beach Festival was organised from 2014, but later the YSRCP government neglected the festival. The Minister said that a detailed project report (DPR) had been prepared for the development of tourism in Machilipatnam under the Centre’s Swadeshi Darshan scheme. He said entrepreneurs were coming forward to develop resorts at Manginapudi beach.

He said players from 29 States attended the national beach kabaddi championship in this year’s festival.

District Collector DK Balaji, SP R Gangadhara Rao and other officials participated in the beach festival on the second day on Saturday.