MoRTH's ₹4,085 Crore Port-Road Push Under Sagarmala

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has informed Parliament that 33 port-road connectivity projects have been launched under the Sagarmala programme, aimed at strengthening maritime infrastructure and improving trade logistics across India.

Of these, 11 projects—spanning 216.16 km—have been completed at a cost of ₹4,085.43 crore. These projects have enhanced last-mile connectivity to key ports including Kakinada, Visakhapatnam, Mormugao, Alang, Jawaharlal Nehru Port, Redi, and V.O. Chidambaranar Port.

The remaining 22 projects are currently under implementation, covering 1,266.32 km with an estimated cost of ₹23,658.03 crore. These are spread across major coastal states such as Andhra Pradesh, Goa, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Bihar, and Gujarat.

Project delays have been attributed to challenges including land acquisition, utility shifting, environmental clearances, contractual issues, and adverse weather conditions. However, the Ministry confirmed that no sanctioned project has been dropped. Corrective actions—such as modifying project scopes to align with technical requirements of port authorities and railways, and addressing local concerns—are being undertaken to accelerate progress.

The Sagarmala initiative is central to India’s vision of leveraging its 7,500 km coastline for port-led development, reducing logistics costs, and boosting export competitiveness.

News by Rahul Yelligetti.