Andhra Pradesh plans to develop Kakinada into a major international logistics and export hub by linking its ports with roads, railways and waterways, Roads Minister B.C. Janardhana Reddy said at a regional industry summit in the city on Monday. The plan is intended to strengthen the state’s marine-based economy and connect farmers, fishermen and industries with domestic and international markets.
Janardhana Reddy was speaking on the sidelines of the Confederation of Indian Industry regional summit at Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University Kakinada, along with Tourism Minister Kandula Durgesh and Industries Minister T.G. Bharat.
The minister said ports should not be viewed only as docking facilities, but as trade hubs that support the movement of goods between producers, manufacturers and markets. He said the state government was working to establish an integrated logistics network covering sea routes, roads, railways and inland waterways, with Kakinada’s geography offering particular advantages for maritime trade.
The Kakinada region’s maritime network includes Yanam port, a special economic zone port, a deep-water port, an anchorage port and a fishing harbour. During the 2025–26 financial year, cargo throughput reached 18.42 million tonnes at Kakinada Deep Water Port, 3.42 million tonnes at the anchorage port and 0.58 million tonnes at the nearby Rava port, according to the minister.
Ports across Andhra Pradesh handled about 210 million tonnes of cargo during the same financial year, registering 12 per cent growth over the previous year. The figures provide the operational base for the government’s stated ambition of expanding the state’s role in logistics and exports, although the ministers did not announce a separate completion timeline or detailed implementation structure for the proposed Kakinada hub.
The road programme is a major part of the planned freight network. According to Janardhana Reddy, 104 road projects covering 1,967 kilometres are currently under execution, involving an investment of Rs 38,815 crore. Another 51 projects covering 2,624 kilometres are in the pipeline. The combined investment associated with these projects exceeds Rs 1 lakh crore, he said.
National Waterway-4 was identified as another opportunity for moving freight at lower cost. The government’s stated approach is to integrate the waterway with ports and surface transport infrastructure rather than develop each mode separately. The announcement did not specify the locations, capacity or delivery schedules for the proposed waterway-linked facilities.
Durgesh invited industrialists to invest in Andhra Pradesh and said the government would support the establishment of industrial units. He also said tourism had been declared an industrial sector as part of the state’s plan to develop Andhra Pradesh as a major tourism destination.
Bharat said regional conferences were being organised to improve coordination among local investors, elected representatives and officials and to clarify development priorities across the state. He added that industries would be expected to establish their units within 18 months of receiving permission. The ministers did not provide further details on enforcement or the institutional mechanism for monitoring that timeline.
