Asian Development Bank representatives visit Anakapalli district to study water supply project for Bulk Drug Park in Andhra Pradesh

Asian Development Bank representatives visit Anakapalli district to study water supply project for Bulk Drug Park in Andhra Pradesh.

Asian Development Bank (ADB) representatives visited the Anakapalli district on Tuesday (March 25) to study the proposed water supply distribution network to the Bulk Drug Park (BDP), for which Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone on January 8, this year, official sources from the Andhra Pradesh Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (APIIC) said.

This is a greenfield water supply project with an estimated investment of ₹660 crore, covering a length of 46.5 km to supply 120 MLD water from the Yeleru canal to the BDP.

The ADB representatives visited the proposed line areas and sought the APIIC’s help as part of their work to prepare a report before providing financial support to the relevant stakeholders who will take up the responsibility of the pipeline project.

APIIC Zonal Manager S. Narasimha Rao said, “ As part of the progress of the bulk drug project, the ADB team visited the Nakkapalli cluster for the proposed water supply line from Yeleru. Our team has assisted them. Other works related to roads etc. are also in progress now.”

A total of 2,001.85 acres of land has been allotted for setting up of the Bulk Drug Park. The land parcel is a combination of acquired land from Rajayyapeta (650.96 acres), Buchirajupeta (117.67 acres), Chandanada (367.11 acres), Vempadu (228.47 acres) and Donivani Lakshmipuram (637.64 acres) villages of Nakkapalli mandal in the district. While 50.43% (1009.5 acres) of the land will be used for industries, the remaining land will be used for creating roads (9.47%), green belt (4.27%), water body (3.17%) amenities and other ancillary infrastructure.

The drug park will comprise various buildings designed to support Research & Development labs, and entrepreneurship. A dedicated centre for scientific exploration and advancements. Analytical testing laboratories will also be set up for maintaining product quality and compliance standards. An incubation centre with testing labs and modern equipment will also be set up to encourage new innovations in the pharmaceutical clusters and nurture emerging talent. If this project is operational, Andhra Pradesh will be one of the three States in the country to have such dedicated Bulk Drug Park. Once it is fully implemented and occupied, will attract a direct employment of 27,360 by 2033-34, as per the project plans of the government.

The park was earlier proposed to be set up at Thondandi coastal belt in neighbouring Kakinada district under the promotion of Bulk Drug Policy 2020 of the Union Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilizers, and Department of Pharmaceuticals, but was later shifted to Nakkapalli. The park has the advantage of utilising both the Visakhapatnam Port Authority, Gangavaram Port and Kakinada Deep Water Port.