Wednesday, June 4, 2008
పోర్టుభూముల కేటాయింపుపై ఆందోళన
కాకినాడ పోర్టుభూములు అక్రమ కేటాయింపులపై పార్టీ తరపున ఆందోళన చేపడతామని యనమల రామకృష్ణుడు స్పష్టం చేశారు. బుధవారం 'ఈనాడు'లో 'అడ్రస్‌లేని కంపెనీలు' శీర్షికన ప్రచురితమైన కథనంపై ఆయన స్పందించారు. 354 ఎకరాల విలువైన భూమిని పోర్టుతో ఏవిధంగానూ సంబంధంలేని కంపెనీలకు ప్రభుత్వం అప్పగించడం తాము తీవ్రంగా వ్యతిరేకిస్తున్నామన్నారు. కాంగ్రెస్ పార్టీ నాయకులు, ఎమ్మెల్యేలు, ఎంపీలు, మంత్రులకు సంబంధించిన వారికి ఈ భూములు ధారాదత్తం చేశారన్నారు. 1994లో తెదేపా ప్రభుత్వం పోర్టు భూముల కేటాయింపుపై ప్రత్యేకంగా నియమ నిబంధనలను పెట్టిందన్నారు. పోర్టుతో సంబంధం ఉండి దానితో వ్యాపారాలు చేసేవారికే నిబంధనలకు లోబడి భూములు కేటాయించాలని దానిలో స్పష్టం చేశామన్నారు. లీజుకు ఇవ్వడానికి మార్కెట్ విలువకు 6 శాతం అద్దెవిలువ చెల్లించాల్సి ఉంటుందని ఆ తర్వాత ప్రతి మూడేళ్ళకు 15 శాతం అద్దె పెంచాల్సి ఉంటుందన్నారు. ఈ లెక్కన చూసుకుంటే ఏటా వందల కోట్ల రూపాయలు 30 ఏళ్ళపాటు కాంగ్రెస్ నాయకుల జేబుల్లోకి పోతోందని లెక్కతేలుతోందన్నారు. అక్రమంగా కేటాయింపులు చేసిన ఈ భూములను తక్షణం ప్రభుత్వం రద్దు చేయకుంటే ఈ నెల 12 తర్వాత నుంచి పార్టీ ఆందోళన చేపడుతుందన్నారు. తొలుత భూములు పరిశీలన ఆ తర్వాత ధర్నాలు, నిరసనలు చేస్తామన్నారు.
TRS Effect: Realty prices crash in Visakhapatnam
Visakhapatnam, June 2: Real estate agents suffered a rude shock after the Telangana byelection results were announced on Sunday evening in which the TRS suffered a serious setback.
Several agencies including from those outside the city made huge investments on the outskirts of the city hoping the prices would rocket once the process of separate Telangana takes a shape.
They took the gamble after the TRS quit the Assembly en masse.
The prices of land went up in Rushikonda, Kapulauppada, Madhuravada, Tim-mapuram, Bheemili from a mere Rs 50 lakh an acre to Rs 5 crore during the last two years.
This apart, the Visakhapatnam Urban Development Authority (Vuda) auctioned its prime land in these areas fetching more than Rs 1,000 crore during the last six months. All the bidders for
these lands were from Hyderabad and Mumbai. Some of those who invested in the Madhuravada, Timmapuram and Kapulauppada planned for mega housing schemes hoping to fetch a prime price in next two years.
A senior real estate agent said the present prices of apartments being quoted at Rs 2,000 for
square feet in Madhuravada, Rs 3,500 per sft in Seethammadhara, East Point Colony,
Pandurangapuram, Dasapalla layout and Rs 4,000, the highest so far in Facor layout. There was general speculation that the apartment prices would go up in Madhuravada as the city
was choked up with narrow roads.
"There was a hype among the realtors that Kapulauppada, Rushikonda and upto Bheemili along the Beach Road would become Navi Vizag and hoped to get a good price for the development," said another city-based realtor. Now that the dream of separate Telangana crashed, many investors would move to Hyderabad where the prices jumped by Rs 600 per sft on Monday alone.
Another realtor said there could be upward movement after the coastal corridor comes into being along with other mega projects proposed for the city worth more than Rs 1 lakh crore.
Once the project start commissioning, there would be huge demand for the housing and other
infrastructural facilities. "But that would take some time and till then the realtors might not
hold back their investments," a builder said.
Source: Deccan chronicle June 03, 2008
Andhra proposes coastal highway to link petrochemical projects
New Delhi: The Andhra Pradesh government has asked the Centre to build a Rs3,300-crore coastal highway connecting Kakinada and Visakhapatnam to support the petroleum refineries it plans to build in the region.
Andhra Pradesh finance minister Rosaiah Konejeti confirmed the development on Tuesday. “The Centre has shown some interest in helping us,” he said.The state also wants the Union government to spend Rs2,700 crore to develop ports and extend railway lines to the area where a petroleum, chemicals and petrochemical investment (PCPRI) project is coming up.
The project is expected to attract investments of over Rs3 trillion.The proposed highway will help in transporting petroleum products. It may also be extended up to Chennai as a new express passenger corridor.
The Union and state governments will jointly develop infrastructure for the petroleum, chemical and petrochemical factories that will come up in the 603.58 sq. km area identified between Visakhapatnam and Kakinada.
Located close to the oil and gas-rich Krishna Godavari basin off India’s east coast, the PCPRI project is expected to cut business costs and ease operations for refiners, which will also enjoy a tax holiday.
The state government made its requests to the Centre earlier this week, an official familiar with the matter said.The state wants the Union govt to also spend Rs2,700 crore on developing ports, extending railway lines
The state government has told the Union government that the project will be developed through a special purpose vehicle, or SPV, it is setting up.“The Centre has in principle approved the proposal and we would shortly begin the project work,” said an official with Infrastructure Corp. of Andhra Pradesh, or Incap, who did not wish to be identified as he is not authorized to speak with the media.
Incap is the nodal agency for the road projects for the PCPRI project, including the coastal highway, while the Andhra Pradesh Industrial Infrastructure Corp. Ltd, or APIIC, is the nodal agency for the whole project.The official also said Washington-based International Finance Corporation, an arm of the World Bank, has offered project development services for the Kakinada-Visakhapatnam coastal highway project.
While the first phase of the coastal highway corridor project is proposed between Kakinada and Visakhapatnam, the next phase would be extended till Nellore along the coast, the official said.
The other road projects in the region would be taken up through the public-private-partnership model and the government will offer viability gap funding to support the private player, said the official.
He added the existing four-lane national highways will be widened to six lanes.Shipping and road transport secretary Brahm Dutt said the ministry has already received the requests from the Andhra Pradesh government to widen the two highways.“We are already working on these proposals. The proposal for the coastal highway is yet to reach us. Once it comes we will give all assistance. However, we do have some budgetary constraints,” he said.
Source: Live Mint
Source: Live Mint
Mega plan for Industrial Corridor
Kakinada, May 19: The government plans to spent Rs 20,000 crore to develop ‘linkages’ for the industrial corridor between Kakinada and Visakhapatnam. These include roads, railways, airports, ports and other external infrastructure.
The proposal has got the nod of the Centre a few days ago. Under this project, a 138 km-long
coastal corridor will be built between Kakinada Port and Gangavaram Port (near Vizag) with six-lane roads and pipeline corridor at a cost of Rs 1,062 crore. In the subsequent phases the link road will be converted into an eight-lane road by spending Rs 875 crore.
As part of the programme, the present Asian Development Bank-sponsored road will be converted as a four-lane road between Kathipudi and Kakinada Port in an extent of 51.07 km. In addition to this, the National Highway 214 will be developed into four-lane road from the present two-lane at a cost of Rs 260 crore. Later, it will be developed into a six-lane road at a cost of Rs 387 crore. As part of the industrial corridor development, the existing NH 5 will be developed into six-lane road for 190 km between Rajahmundry and Visakhapatnam.
In addition to this, the other external road links will be provided with Rs 512 crore. In all,
Rs 4,021 crore will be spent on the road development activity as part of Industrial corridor project. For the development of rail links Rs 1,010 crore will be spend in the corridor. A rail
link of 26 km will be taken up at a cost of Rs 102 crore between APSEZ and Gangavaram. For the provision of rail freight stations and for Gangavaram Port logistics Rs 730 crore will be utilised.
Further, authorities are allocating Rs 2,640 crore for developing airports in the region. This
would include the development of the new Visakhapatnam International Airport with Rs 2,000 crore and the upgradation of Rajahmundry airport at Rs 120 crore. These proposals were discussed at a meet held recently by the Infrastructure Development Corporation of Andhra Pradesh with allied departments.
The proposal has got the nod of the Centre a few days ago. Under this project, a 138 km-long
coastal corridor will be built between Kakinada Port and Gangavaram Port (near Vizag) with six-lane roads and pipeline corridor at a cost of Rs 1,062 crore. In the subsequent phases the link road will be converted into an eight-lane road by spending Rs 875 crore.
As part of the programme, the present Asian Development Bank-sponsored road will be converted as a four-lane road between Kathipudi and Kakinada Port in an extent of 51.07 km. In addition to this, the National Highway 214 will be developed into four-lane road from the present two-lane at a cost of Rs 260 crore. Later, it will be developed into a six-lane road at a cost of Rs 387 crore. As part of the industrial corridor development, the existing NH 5 will be developed into six-lane road for 190 km between Rajahmundry and Visakhapatnam.
In addition to this, the other external road links will be provided with Rs 512 crore. In all,
Rs 4,021 crore will be spent on the road development activity as part of Industrial corridor project. For the development of rail links Rs 1,010 crore will be spend in the corridor. A rail
link of 26 km will be taken up at a cost of Rs 102 crore between APSEZ and Gangavaram. For the provision of rail freight stations and for Gangavaram Port logistics Rs 730 crore will be utilised.
Further, authorities are allocating Rs 2,640 crore for developing airports in the region. This
would include the development of the new Visakhapatnam International Airport with Rs 2,000 crore and the upgradation of Rajahmundry airport at Rs 120 crore. These proposals were discussed at a meet held recently by the Infrastructure Development Corporation of Andhra Pradesh with allied departments.
GMR likely to set up ONGC’s proposed refinery in Kakinada
Investment could exceed original estimate of Rs 31,000 cr
The project to be implemented by Kakinada Refinery and Petrochemicals in which ONGC has a 46 per cent stake, Kakinada Sea Port – 51 per cent and State Government – 3 per cent.
ONGC seeks Rs 16,000 crore sops from the State Govt to make project viable.
Hyderabad, May 28 After UK-based Hinduja Group, Reliance Industries (RIL) and Essar Oil, Oil and Natural Gas Corporation’s (ONGC) proposed refinery at Kakinada, has found a new suitor in GMR Group.
According to sources in the Chief Minister’s Office, GMR could emerge as the prime contender for setting up the refinery in the port town.
“Though it is not yet finalised, the refinery’s capacity could be around 20 million-tonnes-per-annum (MMTA) as against the original plan of 15 MMTA. The investment could also be much higher than the original estimate of Rs 31,000 crore,” the sources said. The project to be implemented by Kakinada Refinery and Petrochemicals, where ONGC has a 46 per cent stake, Kakinada Sea Port 51 per cent and the rest of the three per cent with the State Government.
ONGC had in the past maintained that the refinery was not financially feasible unless the Andhra Pradesh Government gave more incentives. It had sought incentives worth Rs 16,000 crore from the State Government over eight years to make the refinery financially viable.
Tax exemptionThe company wanted exemption from sales tax on the sale of petroleum and petrochemical products, free power and water supply during the construction phase, and road and rail connectivity.
Earlier this month representatives from RIL, Hindujas and Essar Oil had discussions with State Government officials for a stake in the Kakinada refinery for the refinery which is being proposed in a special economic zone (SEZ) being developed by ONGC in Kakinada. It is also learnt that GMR officials had 2-3 rounds of discussion with authorities in the State Government.
“The State Government is keen that the project takes off quickly as it will also help in the proposed petroleum, chemical and petrochemical investment region (PCPIR),” the official said.
Originally, a 7.5-million-tonne refinery was envisaged at Kakinada. But Engineers India Ltd did not find the size techno-economically feasible and so the capacity was doubled.The estimated cost of setting up the 15 million-tonne refinery with high complexity configuration was at Rs 25,000 crore.
Besides, Rs 600 crore was needed to build a single-point mooring and the sub-sea pipeline for transportation of crude oil to the project site.
Source: Business LineBOOM Town >>> Rs 50,000 crore to flow into Kakinada
A special economic zone (SEZ) anchored by a 15-million-tonne refinery and petrochemical plant, a fertiliser plant, captive ports, shipbuilding and rig-servicing yards are a few of the industrial projects planned in Kakinada, on the Coromandel Coast in Andhra Pradesh.
The total investments in the town could go well above Rs 50,000 crore, according to local government officials. Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC), the country’s largest exploration and production company, is planning to spend close to Rs 26,000 crore to set up a refinery and petrochemical complex in the Kakinada SEZ. It has already acquired 8,000 acres of land for an SEZ, for which it will also be the developer.
The petrochemical plant it plans to set up in the SEZ will receive gas from Reliance Industries’ gigantic D6 block in the Krishna-Godavari basin.
“It is around the RIL gas that all of these industries will come up. Kakinada, which got its first and only industry in the form of two fertiliser plants in the early 1990s, will now see this huge spurt in industrial growth,” said a official from the local administration.
The town will also be co-host to a petroleum, chemical and petrochemical investment region (PCPIR) which is projected to attract investments of over Rs 2 lakh crore.
“The proposed investment in PCPIR, running from Visakhapatnam to Kakinada, is only for onshore areas. Similar investments are likely to be made in oil and gas exploration and production work in the offshore area of the Krishna-Godavari basin,” said M Veerabrahmaiah, joint collector and additional district magistrate, Visakhapatnam.
Much of the investments in Kakinada are expected to be made by Reliance itself. According to sources, the company plans to acquire the two existing fertiliser plants in the town.
One plant, operated by Nagarjuna Fertiliser and Chemicals Ltd (NFCL), produces urea while the other, operated by Godavari Fertiliser and Chemicals Ltd (GFCL), produces phosphatic fertilisers. Although an NFCL official at Kakinada said the plant was not up for sale, an RIL official said the company was increasingly inclined towards making an offer for the two plants.
A port, operated by Kakinada Seaports Ltd, is also likely to be taken over by the Mukesh Ambani-promoted company. “It is the only weak link in the entire chain of gas production from the D6 block. If we can manage to take over the port, the risk of the chain breaking will minimise,” the RIL official said.
RIL had earlier wanted to build a berth for its captive use for loading offshore supply vessels which feed its exploration work in the K-G basin. It currently operates from a dedicated jetty at the port, for which it pays Kakinada Seaports Rs 95 lakh per month. Kakinada Seaport’s chief operating officer Surya Prakash Gutta said the company would sell for a price of Rs 500 crore. The two fertiliser plants are located adjacent to the port.
The Kakinada district administration official said the various companies such as construction firm Larsen & Toubro and Dubai Ports are interested in building a shipbuilding yard in the Kakinada coast. “The yard will also service the rigs which the oil companies use for drilling in the seas,” the official said.
Rigs, which need to be serviced every 3-4 years, have currently been sent to Dubai and Singapore for servicing. The official says investment in building a single shipyard could be to the tune of Rs 4,000 crore.
All of this has resulted in zooming land prices in this Pensioner’s Paradise, the name by which Kakinada is also known. “The price of land has almost doubled over the last couple of years. Cost of living has increased manifold,” Gutta said.
Employment is also on the rise in Kakinada. “That is one of the major ways in which the local people are benefiting,” Tatavarty Srinivasa Rao, a social activist in Kakinada, said.
The man, who protested the privatisation of the Kakinada port 10 years ago, adds: “It gives great potential for industry and training.”
Source: Business Standard
The total investments in the town could go well above Rs 50,000 crore, according to local government officials. Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC), the country’s largest exploration and production company, is planning to spend close to Rs 26,000 crore to set up a refinery and petrochemical complex in the Kakinada SEZ. It has already acquired 8,000 acres of land for an SEZ, for which it will also be the developer.
The petrochemical plant it plans to set up in the SEZ will receive gas from Reliance Industries’ gigantic D6 block in the Krishna-Godavari basin.
“It is around the RIL gas that all of these industries will come up. Kakinada, which got its first and only industry in the form of two fertiliser plants in the early 1990s, will now see this huge spurt in industrial growth,” said a official from the local administration.
The town will also be co-host to a petroleum, chemical and petrochemical investment region (PCPIR) which is projected to attract investments of over Rs 2 lakh crore.
“The proposed investment in PCPIR, running from Visakhapatnam to Kakinada, is only for onshore areas. Similar investments are likely to be made in oil and gas exploration and production work in the offshore area of the Krishna-Godavari basin,” said M Veerabrahmaiah, joint collector and additional district magistrate, Visakhapatnam.
Much of the investments in Kakinada are expected to be made by Reliance itself. According to sources, the company plans to acquire the two existing fertiliser plants in the town.
One plant, operated by Nagarjuna Fertiliser and Chemicals Ltd (NFCL), produces urea while the other, operated by Godavari Fertiliser and Chemicals Ltd (GFCL), produces phosphatic fertilisers. Although an NFCL official at Kakinada said the plant was not up for sale, an RIL official said the company was increasingly inclined towards making an offer for the two plants.
A port, operated by Kakinada Seaports Ltd, is also likely to be taken over by the Mukesh Ambani-promoted company. “It is the only weak link in the entire chain of gas production from the D6 block. If we can manage to take over the port, the risk of the chain breaking will minimise,” the RIL official said.
RIL had earlier wanted to build a berth for its captive use for loading offshore supply vessels which feed its exploration work in the K-G basin. It currently operates from a dedicated jetty at the port, for which it pays Kakinada Seaports Rs 95 lakh per month. Kakinada Seaport’s chief operating officer Surya Prakash Gutta said the company would sell for a price of Rs 500 crore. The two fertiliser plants are located adjacent to the port.
The Kakinada district administration official said the various companies such as construction firm Larsen & Toubro and Dubai Ports are interested in building a shipbuilding yard in the Kakinada coast. “The yard will also service the rigs which the oil companies use for drilling in the seas,” the official said.
Rigs, which need to be serviced every 3-4 years, have currently been sent to Dubai and Singapore for servicing. The official says investment in building a single shipyard could be to the tune of Rs 4,000 crore.
All of this has resulted in zooming land prices in this Pensioner’s Paradise, the name by which Kakinada is also known. “The price of land has almost doubled over the last couple of years. Cost of living has increased manifold,” Gutta said.
Employment is also on the rise in Kakinada. “That is one of the major ways in which the local people are benefiting,” Tatavarty Srinivasa Rao, a social activist in Kakinada, said.
The man, who protested the privatisation of the Kakinada port 10 years ago, adds: “It gives great potential for industry and training.”
Source: Business Standard
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