JV proposal mooted by Gadkari in 2015

Visakhapatnam: Visakhapatnam Port Authority (VPA), which has been into commercial operations since 1933, is owned by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, wants to make Mulapeta a satellite port, about 120 km from here so as to divert bulk cargo.

It may be recalled that Nitin Gadkari, who was holding the portfolio of Shipping in 2015 when Naidu was the Chief Minister, had made an open offer to construct the Bhavanapadu Port as a satellite port with an offer of 26 per cent stake to AP Government in lieu of land to be given.

The Ministry of Shipping contemplated using Mulapeta, about 120-km from here as a satellite port for Visakhapatnam Port so as to shift the bulk cargo.

In December 2015 Union Minister Nitin Gadkari made an open offer to then Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu to develop Mulapeta (at that time named Bhavanapadu Port) as a satellite port to Visakhapatnam Port, under the Ministry of Shipping, and extend 26 per cent share to the State Government. He had repeatedly broached the subject before Naidu on multiple occasions.