Machilipatnam Port to be ready by 2026

Minister for Mines and Geology and Excise Kollu Ravindra has announced that the Machilipatnam (Bandar) Port project is targeted for completion by 2026, a milestone expected to catalyse industrial activity and create significant employment opportunities for local youth. He also said that a six-lane access road is under development to provide seamless connectivity between the port and the hinterland.

The minister was speaking after inaugurating a series of development and infrastructure works worth nearly ₹2 crore at Chorampudi village in Bantumilli mandal of the Pedana Assembly constituency. The programme was held in the presence of Pedana MLA Kagitha Krishna Prasad.

As part of the initiative, multiple civic and rural infrastructure projects were launched to improve basic amenities and strengthen grassroots development. These included construction of cement concrete (CC) roads at the CPWS quarters at an estimated cost of ₹12.5 lakh, and a CC road connecting to the bypass road, funded with ₹5.9 lakh from gram panchayat resources.

Water and sanitation infrastructure also received a boost, with a new pipeline laid from the Zilla Parishad school to the ST Colony at a cost of ₹3.64 lakh under corporate social responsibility (CSR) funding. In addition, works worth ₹10 lakh were taken up under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) near the MPUP school to generate local employment.

Other projects inaugurated during the event included construction of an R&B road costing ₹20 lakh, a Rythu Seva Kendra built at ₹23.94 lakh to support farmers, and a new panchayat office building with an investment of ₹43.6 lakh. Retaining wall and CC road works valued at ₹20.2 lakh were also launched, funded through the 15th Finance Commission.

The minister said these projects reflect the government’s commitment to balanced development, improved connectivity, and enhanced public services across rural constituencies.