Mannavaram project first phase; ready by 2012

TIRUPATI: The first phase of the multi-crore NTPC and BHEL Power Project Private Limited (NBPPL), a PSU for manufacturing equipment for power generation, coming up at Mannavaram, 40 km from here, will be ready by December 2012, said its chairman and managing director Anup Roy Choudhury.Speaking to mediapersons at the project site after inspecting the works under progress along with NBPPL managing director Varma, Choudhury admitted that there was some delay in the works.He, however, added that the works would be expedited so as to complete the first phase by 2012 and the final phase by 2015 or 2016.He said the company was also mulling shifting its head office now at Delhi to the project site soon for expediting the works.Choudhury, who inspected the project for the first time after becoming its chairman.said the roads leading to the project site would be widened and the culverts on the roads would also be strengthened to facilitate free movement of heavy and larger trucks carrying materials or equipment to and from the project.Answering a question, he said there was no dearth of funds for the project proposed with an outlay of Rs 6,000 crore as NTPC and BHEL, both are Navaratna companies i.e.PSUs running in profit.Tirupati MP Chinta Mohan recalled that prime minister Manmohan Singh while laying the foundation stone for the project last year said the project would change the economy of the backward area and also help generate employment to local youth in a big way.He further said that efforts were on for the development of harbour at Duggarajapatnam in Nellore district as a major port, including a ship manufacturing unit.Stating that the required land is available for port development, he said there would be three ports, including Chennai and Krishnapatnam.In this connection, he said he had asked some leading planners and architects at Delhi to visit Tirupati and Nellore and give their suggestions for a planned growth of infrastructure facilities, including roads, communication, institutions etc.in tune with the major projects coming up around Tirupati.