VIJAYAWADA: As Andhra Pradesh speeds up its march to become India’s logistics hub, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu’s recent statement in the State Assembly has set the tone for the State’s ambitious infrastructure drive.
On September 26, Naidu outlined a blueprint to reduce logistics costs through improved ports, airports, roads, and railways, vowing to create 20 lakh jobs and establish dedicated universities for logistics and civil aviation. “We will give more priority to logistics to cut costs and strengthen infrastructure,” he said, positioning AP as a national hub for multimodal transport.
This vision dovetails with South Central Railway’s (SCR) ambitious projects, which aim to boost freight efficiency and connectivity, transforming the state into an East Coast logistics leader.
At the forefront are proposals awaiting Railway Board sanction, meant to decongest key corridors and enhance cargo movement. A senior SCR official said the Muddanuru–Pulivendula–Mudiguba–SSPN new line (105.31 km, Rs 2,505.89 crore, 5-year timeline) could link rural agro-zones to ports, aiding exports.
Four-laning projects like Obulavaripalli–Renigunta (53.97 km, Rs 1,352.69 crore) and Guntakal–Obulavaripalli (254 km, Rs 5,207.98 crore) will ease freight near Krishnapatnam port, while the Nidadavolu–Duvvada stretch (198.1 km, Rs 8,812.67 crore) targets coastal industries. A Vijayawada bypass (36.8 km, Rs 1,895.03 crore) is planned to decongest city traffic.
Surveys are also under way for high-speed corridors. The Hyderabad–Bengaluru bullet train (626 km, March 2026 survey target) and Hyderabad–Chennai (705 km) could shrink inter-state travel to hours, boosting IT–logistics synergies.
Coastal projects like Narsapur–Machilipatnam (73.99 km, December 2026) and Machilipatnam–Repalle (45.2 km, January 2026) will improve port access, while inland lines such as Kondapalli–Sattupalli (62.06 km, October 2025) and Ongole–Donakonda (87.45 km, November 2025) focus on mining and agriculture. Vijayawada–Gudur four-laning (293 km) will further smoothen goods flow.
Sanctioned projects are also progressing: Nadikudi–Srikalahasthi (309 km, Rs 3,122 crore) has 90 km completed; Guntur–Guntakal doubling (401.47 km, Rs 3,631.07 crore) has 354 km done, fully electrified. Vijayawada–Gudur tripling (287.67 km, Rs 3,548.68 crore) has 250 km ready, easing port-bound traffic. New entries like Errupalem–Namburu (56.53 km, Rs 2,047.4 crore) and Pandurangapuram–Malkangiri (173.61 km, Rs 3,591.76 crore) are advancing with land acquisition.
Together, these initiatives worth over Rs 41,000 crore echo Naidu’s call for infrastructure-led growth. With 100% rail electrification and 1,560 km added in the last decade, AP’s network is primed for logistics dominance.
Local voices reflect this optimism. “The proposed railway projects in the capital region and Guntur will open up bigger markets for us,” said farmer Ch Sadanandaiah from Guntur. “Better connectivity will cut wastage, fetch better prices, and improve our profits.” I Srinivas Reddy, Nunma Mango Market Secretary, added: “Faster railway transport and a better network will greatly help perishable commodities.”