14 hours ago
AP to halve logistics costs with Rs 20,000 cr infra push
Visakhapatnam: Minister for Roads and Buildings, Infrastructure and Investments BC Janardhan Reddy has underscored that the state is moving forward with a clear vision to emerge as South Asia's logistics gateway.
He was speaking at the Ports and Logistics Conference, organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry in Visakhapatnam on Friday. The conference focused on unlocking the state's port potential, improving last-mile connectivity and promoting multimodal logistics integration. The Minister highlighted that Andhra Pradesh's ports now contributed over 5 per cent to the state's GSDP, supporting nearly one million jobs. Visakhapatnam Port alone handled 82.62 million tonnes in FY 2024–25, while the Krishnapatnam and Gangavaram ports together handled over 54 million tonnes, reflecting robust growth and private participation. The Minister observed that the government was investing over Rs.20,000 crore to improve connectivity through 1,040-km of new highways and major corridors like Badvel-Nellore and the VCIC rail line. 'Andhra Pradesh wants to cut logistics costs by half with Rs.20,000 crore infrastructure push,' the Minister underlined. The Chairman of Andhra Pradesh Maritime Board D, Satyanarayana, highlighted that Andhra Pradesh was strategically building a robust port-led development model with six operational ports and three new greenfield ports at Machilipatnam, Ramayapatnam, and Bhavanapadu. He shared that these were not being developed in isolation, but as part of integrated logistics and industrial corridors, fully connected through road, rail, and multimodal networks. The Chairperson of Visakhapatnam Port Authority, M Angamuthu, emphasised that Andhra Pradesh had the right foundations to emerge as a maritime entrepreneurship hub, with its strategic location, proactive governance, and well-established port network. He noted that most major ports in the state were currently operating at just 50 per cent capacity, indicating significant untapped potential.
The Chairman of CII, G Murali Krishna, highlighted that ports were no longer just trade enablers but strategic national assets influencing diplomacy, jobs, and regional growth. He shared that Andhra Pradesh's balanced economy and strong policy incentives had already attracted Rs.9.2 lakh crore in investments.
