The Andhra Pradesh government has approved ₹1,638.52 crore for the acquisition of 6,248.54 acres of land to facilitate the phase-II expansion of the upcoming Ramayapatnam, Mulapeta and Machilipatnam greenfield ports, reinforcing the State’s long-term maritime infrastructure strategy.
According to Investments and Infrastructure Minister BC Janardhan Reddy, the administrative approval was granted following the directions of Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu.
Under the approved plan, ₹851 crore has been allocated to acquire 2,924.45 acres for the second phase of Ramayapatnam Port. Another ₹440.52 crore has been sanctioned for acquiring 1,903.39 acres for the expansion of Mulapeta Port, including the acquisition of salt lands and rehabilitation and resettlement measures. Additionally, ₹347 crore has been approved for acquiring 1,420.70 acres for the phase-II expansion of Machilipatnam Port.
The approvals are expected to accelerate the development of the three greenfield ports, which are among the five new ports currently being developed by the State. The first phase of construction at these ports is nearing completion, with operations expected to commence within the next six months.
Once operational, Andhra Pradesh’s total cargo handling capacity is projected to increase by more than 50%, rising from the current 195 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) to 286 MTPA, according to official estimates.
The State government aims to achieve 75% port capacity utilisation by 2030 while reducing vessel turnaround time to less than 15 hours, enhancing operational efficiency and strengthening Andhra Pradesh’s position as a leading maritime logistics hub.
As part of its broader maritime development strategy, the government has also proposed partnering with South Korean maritime equipment manufacturers for investments in the proposed Dugarajapatnam shipbuilding cluster, being jointly developed by the Andhra Pradesh Maritime Board (APMB) and the Visakhapatnam Port Authority.