Andhra Pradesh is speeding up ongoing airport and port projects, and finalising a slew of new proposals since the formation of the NDA government in the State.
For the upcoming greenfield international airport at Bhogapuram, executed by the GMR group, Union Civil Aviation Minister K Ram Mohan Naidu, a Member of Parliament from Telugu Desam Party (TDP), and party head and Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu have pledged all support to ensure the first phase is ready by January-June 2026.
A 500-acre economic hub is being proposed near the airport to promote aviation and other industries. The government says the stretch from Bhogapuram airport towards Visakhapatnam has potential to become an industrial hub and attract investors.
The Centre, too, is examining the feasibility of opening an airport in Anantapur, which is close to Bengaluru in neighbouring Karnataka. Andhra Pradesh currently has three international and three domestic airports.
The Ministry of Ports has received 29 new proposals from Andhra Pradesh, worth about ₹3,300 crore and covering projects ranging from port development to construction of coastal berths and fish landing centres.
The Centre’s Sagarmala marine logistics development scheme is currently providing financial assistance to 13 projects in Andhra Pradesh, valued at around ₹2,500 crore, including Ro-Pax and passenger jetties, fishing harbours, port modernisation, and skill development.
The Visakhapatnam Port Authority and Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) have undertaken 36 projects in the state at an investment of ₹4,600 crore, of which 22 projects (worth ₹2,530 crore) have been completed. The international cruise-cum-coastal terminal was built at Visakhapatnam Port to cater to the needs of passengers from around the world.
Of the proposed 29 new projects, the ports ministry has partially funded four projects worth ₹1,200 crore. For the development of Bhavanapadu Port, Ramayapatnam Port and Machilipatnam Port, the state government has been asked to restructure the projects and explore funding through special assistance under the PM GatiShakti scheme for infrastructure development.
The projects related to coastal berths and fish landing centres have been forwarded to the Ministry of Finance for approval.
After slowing down in recent years, work on four new ports — Ramayapatnam, Bhavanapadu, Kakinada Gateway, and Machilipatnam — is expected to speed up under the new dispensation.
The new ports are expected to increase the state’s cargo handling capacity by 110 million tonnes and create 75,000 jobs.
The government is also investing to improve facilities at its existing six ports.