Vijayawada, Oct 2 (IANS): Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday promised to complete the Bandar Port works by December 2025.

After a review of the progress of the ongoing works of the port in Machilipatnam in Krishna district, the Chief Minister asked officials to expedite the pace of the works.

He told media persons that another 38.32 acres of land necessary for the port will be allocated soon.

Naidu alleged that there was no progress in the port works taken up with an estimated cost of Rs 3,669 crore as the previous YSRCP government totally neglected it. If the ongoing works are completed, the first four berths will be ready but as per the master plan up to 16 berths can be established, the Chief Minister said.

Once the port works are complete, it will largely help in the development of Machilipatnam which is very close to the capital city of Amaravati, he felt.

Chandrababu Naidu promised to take steps to provide necessary road connectivity, the police training centre and the water supply to the area. He was of the opinion that if the port is converted into a container port, it will also largely help the neighbouring states like Telangana.

Recalling the decades-long agitation for the Bandar Port, he said that while he launched the works after identifying its priority, the party that came to power later had totally neglected the port works.

"But I will certainly take up the ongoing works and will try to get more industries to this area. We will get clarity on BPCL soon," Chandrababu Naidu said.

The Chief Minister also said action will soon be initiated against the local YSRCP party office constructed on the land belonging to the state police after getting the details.

Earlier, participating in the 'Swachata Hi Seva' programme Chandrababu Naidu called upon all sections of the people in the state to turn into Swachh service representatives and make a resolve to turn the state into Swachh Andhra Pradesh by 2029. "Everyone should move forward with a goal and respect the sanitary workers as they are the Swach servants. No one should talk ill of them," the Chief Minister, who personally served tea to the sanitary workers and had an interaction with them on the occasion.