The Hindu         02.03.2017  

MADA to finalise agency for master plan by March 28

Vice-Chairman says a five-member committee formed for selection

The Machilipatnam Area Development Authority (MADA) will finalise the
selection of agency for preparing master plan by March-end. The tenders
from the interested agencies have been invited and March 20 is the last
date for submission.

“A five-member evaluation committee
comprising experts has been set up to select the agency for preparing
the master plan. The selection of the agency will be done by March 28,”
MADA Vice-Chairman M. Venugopala Reddy told
The Hindu
. “International agencies are also being encouraged to submit their
tenders as we are looking for quality and expertise, given the need of
having a robust master plan for developing the area spreading 426.16
square kilometres,” he added.

The MADA master plan would likely to
be on the lines of Amaravati master plan, focussing on developing
tourism and township required to be developed for the port and
industrial corridor projects. The master plan would be prepared for the
entire area of 426 square kilometres, including above 30,000 acres of
land that was proposed for Machilipatnam deep sea port and industrial
corridor.

Port project

In
February 2016, the State government constituted the MADA, bringing 28
revenue villages and 27 villages in Machilpatnam mandal, including
Machilipatnam Municipality, under its jurisdiction with 2.41 lakh of
population. Mr. Venugopala Reddy has confirmed that over 5,200 acres of
land would be spared for the proposed deep sea port based on the
detailed project report prepared before constituting the MADA. “We have
targeted to hand over the land to the Department of Ports in the first
phase instead of waiting until completion of gathering of 30,000 acres,”
he added.