While the Visakhapatnam airport re-opened on Thursday, four days after it was battered by cyclone Hudhud, the Vizag port will be fully operational from Saturday. However, the public sector steel plant and many other major industries are still closed.
The airport which was shattered by the cyclone on Sunday last, will initially provide only basic services and will take at least three months to return to normal level of functioning, officials said.
As the roof of the terminal building was shattered by the cyclone it has been replaced by Tarpaulin. Passengers using the airport will also have face many other problems like the absence of air conditioning and conveyor belt for luggage. Even the boarding passes were handwritten as the computer system was ripped apart by the cyclone.
Even the VIPs will not get the usual star treatments as their waiting rooms will be used for the senior citizens and people with special needs.
While domestic services were restored on Thursday, international flights will start from November 1, Union Minister for Civil Aviation Ashok Gajapati Raju said.
This being so, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu called upon all the sections of the society to involve in the massive challenge of reconstruction of the cyclone-hit city. “Even the students will be involved in this work,” he said.
“I am confident that the city will again stand up on its feet as the financial capital of the State”, he said while addressing a media conference in the port city.
As the work to restore the basic services in the city were being expedited and life was slowly returning to normalcy, the Chief Minister assured the people that his Government will not leave any stone unturned to put an end to their suffering.
“I have ordered the rice stocks should reach every ration shop by this evening”, he said. The Government has announced a package of 10 kg rice, one kg palm oil, one kg of pulses, one kg salt and other essential commodities for every family, rich or poor.
The State Government has also opened a new portal and asked the people to upload the photos of damage to their properties and provide all the details which will be verified by the Government officials later on.
A day after he had flown off the handle against the telecom operators, the Chief Minister on Thursday praised them for giving the mobile users of cyclone affected areas free talk time of Rs50 and free roaming facility.
He also appealed to the insurance companies to expedite the process of paying insurance to the industries which suffered losses in the cyclone.
In a generous gesture, the Government employees, teachers and pensioners of Andhra Pradesh have announced contribution of their two days’ salary to the cyclone relief fund of the Government. “A total amount of Rs125 crore will be contributed to the fund by the employees, teachers and pensioners”, said AP NGOs president Ashok Babu. He wrote a letter to the Chief Secretary to deduct two-day salary from November.
Meanwhile, contributions were pouring in to the fund started by the State Government to help the victims. The fund has already attracted a contribution of more than
Rs30 crore, most of it from the Telugu film industry.
Actor and MlA N Balakrishna, who contributed Rs25 lakhs to the fund, appealed to his fans to donate money to help the cyclone victims.
Allaying the fears of the industry of recurrence of such natural disasters in Visakhapatanam, Chandrababu Naidu said that new buildings will be designed in such a manner that they will be able to withstand cyclones of even 250 kms per hour intensity. “The Government will not spare any effort to make Vizag a cyclone-proof city. We will also involve international experts in these efforts”.
Gale proof structures were necessary to create confidence among the investors, he told the officials. “We will prepare a new vision and plan for the city”, he said. He said gale proof hoardings and cell towers will also be made mandatory.
Meanwhile YS Jaganmohan Reddy, president of principal opposition party YSRCP, visited the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant on Thursday. Jagan who has been camping in the city for the last four days and was going around the cyclone hit areas, inspected the plant which suffered extensive damage in the cyclone.
He also visited the Islampura area of Visakhapatnam and assured the Muslim community all possible help.