Metro India News | AMARAVATI

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu outlined bold plans at the East Coast and Logistics Summit to position the state as India’s premier East Coast logistics hub. Leveraging six operational ports—with four more in development—along its 1,050 km coastline, he aims to boost the logistics sector’s GSDP contribution from 1% to 3%. Ports or fishing harbors will be established every 50 km, serving neighboring states like Telangana and Odisha.

He announced the creation of a Logistics University and a Civil Aviation University in Vizag, and called upon industry experts to form a 20-member advisory body to guide this transformation.

Plans also include shipbuilding and repair clusters, container repair units, and defense maintenance facilities at Dugarajupatnam and Machilipatnam. Digital logistics platforms, cargo tracking, and enhanced multimodal connectivity—via road, rail, air, and revived inland waterways like the Buckingham Canal—were also highlighted.

Naidu pointed to global exemplars such as Dubai and Singapore, aiming to reduce logistics costs from India’s 13% toward the global average of 8%. He envisaged integrating ports with industrial hubs and reviving inland waterways to reduce transport expenses.

He also noted Visakhapatnam’s upcoming emergence as a tech hub with a data center, reinforcing the state’s commitment to skills development and economic growth.