VIJAYAWADA: Airports and ports in Andhra Pradesh achieved a remarkable growth in the first half of the 2018-19 fiscal compared to the corresponding period the previous fiscal.
Passenger traffic in AP airports recorded a growth of 40 per cent as the number grew to 2.73 million from 1.94 million. Similarly, ports in the State have achieved a growth of 15 per cent year on year with cargo movement increasing from 131 MMTs (Million Metric Tonnes) to 150 MMTs in 2018.
The cargo movement in the ports under the administrative control of the State government have grown from 69.6 MMTs to 86.3 MMTs, registering at a growth of 24 per cent.
Speaking to TNIE, Principal Secretary (Infrastructure and Investment) Ajay Jain said despite facing many constraints, they achieved the growth rate. He added there was good potential for continuing the success story. Stating that Hyderabad airport alone was witnessing a footfall of 18 million passengers a year, he said all the airports in AP together having a passenger traffic of around 6 million per year.
When it come to ports, he said despite sharp decline in imports of coal and ban on iron ore export, ports in AP managed to witness growth thanks to the establishment of several manufacturing companies in the State. Stating that coal and petroleum products contributed more than 50 per cent of cargo traffic in ports, he said decline in thermal power production resulted in decrease of coal import.