March 18, 2002

    Ministry of Shipping has approved the proposal of the Visakhapatnam Port Trust (VPT) for transfer of land to the State Government for expansion of runway at the Visakhapatnam Airport under the exchange of land for land formula. Communication to this effect was issued during the first week of March 2002 by the Port Trust Authorities. There was an old pending demand of the State Government of Andhra Pradesh for up-gradation of Visakhapatnam Airport to international standards to meet the emerging needs of the region and for facilitating the growing international passenger and cargo movement. As the expansion of the airport required a large portion of adjacent land, which was owned by VPT for several years, the State Government had requested the Ministry of Shipping for this land.

    Apart from the up-gradation of Visakhapatnam Airport, there were several representations to the Minister of Shipping from the fishermen of visakhapatnam, regarding improvements to the fisheries harbour inside the port area. To address this problem, while acquiring land from the State Government, the Port Trust Authorities have decided to utilise land measuring 169.12 acres in Mulakuddu Village of Bheemunipatnam Mandal, for shifting the existing fisheries harbour from VPT area to Bheemunipatnam. The proposed harbour in this piece of land is located near their ancestral village and, therefore, fishermen would now, not be required to live in slums away from their homes.