The Andhra Pradesh Government is finalising the process to invite bids for the appointment of a consultant for the master plan for the proposed PCPIR (Petroleum, Chemicals and Petrochemical investment Region) planned along the Visakhapatnam-Kakinada coastal corridor.
The State Government is keen to prepare a master plan for the PCPIR by June next and the services of EPTRI were engaged for conducting environment impact assessment studies for the entire region. The Ministry of Environment and Forests has been approached for clearances. Environmental clearance has been secured for the pharma special economic zone, Brandix SEZ and hetero SEZ.
Following a review meeting of the PCPIR in the office of the Chief Minister, Dr. K. Rosaiah, the State Government has notified 603 sq.km covering 110 revenue villages, 10 mandals in Visakhapatnam and east Godavari districts. A special development authority was constituted for planning, enforcement and to monitor the project. The Chief Minister was informed that an HPCL-led consortium of TOTAL SA of France, GAIL, OIL and Saudi Aramco is in the process of setting up a 15 mln tpa greenfield refinery and petrochemical project with a total outlay of about $8 billion near Visakhapatnam. The Visakha refinery of HPCL is being expanded and the GMR group is in the process of finalising plans for a 15 mln tpa refinery in the Kakinada region. These would constitute the anchor projects. The PCPIR Expressway of 140 km connecting the ports of Visakhapatnam and Kakinada, a private port at Gangavaram and the international airport at South Rayavaram will shorten the distance by about 30 km. About 12 special economic zones are coming up in the area along the National Highway 5.
The Chief Minister agreed to release Rs 50 crore towards land acquisition for four-laning of Anakapalli-Atchutapuram stretch and some other roads in the region.
07-Jun-10 
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