Amaravati, March 16 Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Monday directed officials to develop the state as an East-West Cargo Corridor through cargo handling operations at various ports.
During a review meeting on ports and fishing harbours, the chief minister directed officials that cargo handling operations should commence at the Mulapeta, Machilipatnam, and Ramayapatnam ports, which are being newly constructed.
"Through cargo handling operations at various ports in the state, Andhra Pradesh should be developed as an East-West Cargo Corridor," an official release quoting Naidu said.
The CM directed officials to take steps to route cargo through these three ports from the hinterlands of the Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Telangana, and Karnataka states.
Meanwhile, the officials informed the CM that Machilipatnam and Ramayapatnam ports would be developed by December 2026.
Following the completion of the Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd's (BPCL) refinery, they said that Ramayapatnam port would emerge as a container and bulk cargo port.
According to Naidu, the Railways have agreed to lay a rail line from Ramayapatnam to the Kadapa steel plant.
Furthermore, he noted that developing townships near the three ports would also boost economic activity, observing that there is potential to develop industrial corridors near the ports.
In the second phase, Naidu directed officials to quickly take up the work on the Budigatlapalem, Pudimadaka, and Kothapatnam fishing harbours.
As fishing harbours will emerge at every 50-km interval in the state, the TDP supremo noted that the southern state will emerge as an east coast logistics hub.
Given that the ports in Dubai and the Gulf are facing challenges due to the Middle East conflict, Naidu asserted that "India's east coast ports are safer," calling for seizing the opportunity.