Ameenabad harbour likely to be commissioned by December; to facilitate anchoring of 2,500 boats off Uppada coast

Ameenabad harbour near Uppada coast, funded by FIDF and NABARD, expected to be commissioned by December 2024.

AMEENABAD (KAKINADA)

It is official. The much-waited harbour being built at Ameenabad to facilitate the anchoring of 2,500 boats off the Uppada coast is most likely to be commissioned by December.

In November 2020, then Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy laid the foundation stone to commission it by early 2023 with an estimated cost of ₹350 crore. The harbour has been funded by the Centre through the Fisheries and Aquaculture Development Fund (FIDF) and NABARD Infrastructure Development Assistance. 

70% completed 

Kakinada District Collector Sagili Shanmohan told The Hindu on September 21; “Nearly 70% of the construction of the Ameenabad harbour has been completed. The construction activity has been delayed owing to unfavorable weather conditions reported in recent months off Uppada coast”.

“Most likely, the harbour will be commissioned in December 2024. The dredging portion of the project is pending and expected to be completed by December,” Mr. Shanmohan said. 

Reacting to apprehensions, among the fisherfolk, of the harbour project, Mr. Shanmohan has stated; “Unless the harbour is commissioned nothing can be visualised. All the clearances were given by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and the design was approved by the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT-Madras). There is no room for any apprehensions”.