Centre has taken up maritime development projects worth ₹5.60 lakh crore, says Union Minister of Ports

Unions Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal said that the Union government has taken up 802 Sagarmala projects across the country at a cost of ₹5.60 lakh crore.

Unions Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal said that the Union government has taken up 802 Sagarmala projects across the country at a cost of ₹5.60 lakh crore.

Of these, Andhra Pradesh alone accounts for 113 projects worth about ₹1.23 lakh crore. Thirty-six projects, worth ₹32.210 crore, have already been completed, Mr. Sonowal said.

The Union Minister was in the city on Sunday to inaugurate four major projects at Visakhapatnam Port Authority (VPA) here on Monday. He held a review meeting with representatives from VPA, Dredging Corporation of India and Indian Maritime University, Visakhapatnam campus, at a hotel on Sunday night.

Speaking to reporters after the review meeting, the Minister said, “We are focusing our efforts on port connectivity, coastal community development and shipping as per the suggestions of the Maritime Board.”

He said he had come to the city to take part in the opening of the international cruise terminal on Monday. The terminal was built as part of the Visakha Port Modernisation project.

Once this terminal becomes operational, maritime tourism would get a boost, with the city getting connected to Chennai, Kolkata, Mumbai, Kandla and Goa. This will lead to an increase in tourism and employment opportunities, he said.

“We will make Visakhapatnam a pollution-free city with all scientific measures. We are expanding the cargo facilities at VPA with state-of-the-art technologies,” he said.