As part of the Centre’s flagship Sagarmala programme, as many as 110 projects worth over ₹1 lakh crore have been identified in Andhra Pradesh to strengthen infrastructure and accelerate port-led industrialisation along India’s East Coast, the Union government informed Parliament during the ongoing Winter Session.
Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal shared the details in a written reply to a question raised by Nellore MP Vemireddy Prabhakar Reddy and Ongole MP Magunta Srinivasulu Reddy on the steps being taken to develop Andhra Pradesh as a key logistics hub.
The projects span critical focus areas including port modernisation, port connectivity enhancement, coastal community development, coastal shipping, inland waterways, and the creation of port-linked industrial clusters. Implementation is being undertaken by multiple stakeholders, including Union ministries, the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI), the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), the Andhra Pradesh government, and the Visakhapatnam Port Authority.
Under the Sagarmala initiative, the Centre is partially funding nine projects in Andhra Pradesh at a cost of ₹1,286 crore, the Minister said.
To ensure coordinated execution of maritime initiatives, the State Maritime & Waterway Transport Committee (SMWTC) has been constituted. The committee is tasked with aligning Central and State-level programmes, fostering inter-agency collaboration, and ensuring comprehensive development of maritime and inland waterway transport infrastructure in the State.
At the national level, the government has also set up the Maritime State Development Council (MSDC) under the chairmanship of the Union Ports, Shipping and Waterways Minister. The council includes Ports Ministers from all coastal States and Union Territories, along with Ministers from relevant line ministries, and regularly reviews the progress of maritime infrastructure projects.
In addition, the government has launched the National Logistics Portal–Marine (Sagar Setu), a digital one-stop platform aimed at integrating all maritime logistics stakeholders, including major ports. The portal is designed to reduce logistics costs, enhance ease of doing business, improve port efficiency, and enable seamless coordination across the maritime supply chain.
Together, these initiatives are expected to significantly strengthen Andhra Pradesh’s position as a strategic logistics and maritime hub on the East Coast, supporting trade growth and regional economic development.
