ANUBHUTI VISHNOI & MANU PUBBY

NEW DELHI, MAY 23: A 138-km coastal corridor in Andhra Pradesh between Vishakhapatnam and Kakinada meant to attract petro-chemical industry investment, will have on its fringes the second Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) complex.

The Rs 18,000-crore coastal corridor is a Petro Chemical Investment Region (PCPIR) with five notified SEZs, industrial parks of Andhra Pradesh Industrial Corporation (APIIC), petro-chemical industrial units and townships as well.

The project will go to the Committee of Secretaries (CoS) this month and to the Cabinet by next month for approval.

At Atchutapuram, BARC will construct a research and development complex that will house the multi-disciplinary Homi Bhabha National Institute (HBNI) campus, a host of laboratories and a township — all this connected through an exclusive road and State highway 97 to National Highway 5 on the Golden Quadrilateral (GQ) section.

While 845 hectares have been handed over to BARC, the organization has asked for another 694 hectares Ha for expansion and another 377 hectares for its township.

“We hope to have Life Sciences laboratories, natural uranium and heavy water based research reactors, accelerators and laboratories in place over the next three-four years,” said a DAE official.

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