Poor infrastructural facilities hamper Nuzivid Industrial Park

AVS Prasad

Nuzivid (Krishna): Lack of infrastructure facilities is hindering growth of Nuzivid Industrial Park in Krishna district. There are no takers for the plots offered under rural industrial development initiative of the government. Though the administration planned to accommodate 139 industries, just 10 industries were established since 2009.

The AP Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (APIIC) has failed the industrialists eager to find a place in the industrial park. It shied away from the responsibility of providing infrastructure facilities after connecting the park to roads.

A handful of industries in the park are still dependent on domestic feeder to meet its electricity needs. Surprisingly, the industrialists were told to cough up Rs 13 lakh for installation of industrial feeder to cater to their power needs apart from reducing load on domestic feeder. They already conveyed to the corporation authorities that the specified sum for providing power was difficult to afford considering their sluggish pace of activity.

The industrialists were told to cough up Rs 13 lakh for installation of industrial feeder to cater to their power needs apart from reducing load on domestic feeder. They already conveyed to the Corporation authorities that the specified sum for providing power was difficult to afford considering their sluggish pace of activity

The industrialists at the Park attribute their poor progress to non-provision of telephone and internet which are the basic things necessary to get hooked to the fast-changing cyber world. Internet has become a minimum requirement after the Commercial Taxes Department made all payments including waybills online. The government-owned Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) did not act positively to connect the town to cyber world for want of coordination with the department concerned with the industrial development.

The industrialists facing odds have been worried over slim prospects for development. Drinking water supply, drainages and street-lighting remained a distant reality for the small industries languishing in the Park. A Corruption, red tape and negligence are adding to the woes of the industries which are lagging behind because of lack of coordination between different departments.

Nuzivid, a fast-developing town in Krishna district, has global recognition for mango exports. Besides mango, the town being close to Vijayawada is now identified with the International Institute of Information Technology (IIIT) and has potential for industrial development.

In fact, the APIIC chose the town for creation of Autonagar in 1983. Four years later, the government had second thoughts on industrial hub when it planned a food processing zone at Nuzivid because of its being mango capital of the State. When the plan suffered a blow for several reasons, the APIIC took a U-turn by allowing industries here.