MP allays fears about port

Dugarajapatnam will be constructed, says Tirupati MP

Gudur (Nellore): Tirupati MP Vara Prasad on Sunday said the Dugarajapatnam port would certainly be established in the Nellore district irrespective of reservation expressed by people in the district. Allaying fears over the project, Vara Prasad said though the officials of the Forest, SHAR and Wildlife Departments raised objections, he met them along with Gudur MLA P Sunil Kumar and convinced them of the need for establishing the port.

He said if the Andhra Pradesh government was unable to mobilise funds for the project, funds would be collected from all other ports in the country to set up the Dugarajapatnam port. The MP said even the Union Minister for Urban Development and Parliamentary Affairs was also favourably inclined to setting up the port in this region. He wondered as to why a port could not be set up in Nellore district when there were three ports within a radius of 10 km in the Chennai.

Vara Prasad said that development works could not be taken up with regard to the 39 roadways in Vakadu, Kota and Chittamuru mandals in the district as the Forest Department raised objections.However, when he spoke to the officials concerned, they said that they had no objection in upgrading and repairing the existing roads, instead of constructing new roads and the problem has been solved. He said that funds have been sanctioned for setting up shelters near the seacoast in the district.

Speaking on the occasion, MLA P Susil Kumar lashed out at the former Tirupati MP Chinta Mohan and said he had misguided the people by making false promises. He lauded the efforts of present MP Vara Prasad in taking up developmental works. He said that they would hold discussions with Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and Minister P Narayana to ensure that the port would be established in the district without major hurdles.