VISAKHAPATANAM: The Visakhapatnam Metropolitan Region Development Authority (VMRDA) is likely to receive formal execution orders within the next 15 to 30 days for a comprehensive coastal erosion mitigation project. The proposal, titled “Enhancing Coastal Resilience along Visakhapatnam Coast,” carries an estimated budget of Rs 203 crore and recently underwent a critical review by the Sub-Committee of the National Executive Committee (SC-NEC) in New Delhi.
A high-level meeting was chaired by the Union Home Secretary and attended by the Secretary of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), along with heads of various technical departments.
During the session, the Metropolitan Commissioner of VMRDA N. Tej Bharat presented a detailed strategy to address long-standing issues of coastal erosion and flooding that have impacted the region since 2007. The project is designed to be a long-term scientific solution developed in collaboration with the National Centre for Coastal Research (NCCR).
Approximately 28.81 km of the Visakhapatnam coast is classified as a high-erosion zone, while another 46.2 km faces moderate to low erosion. The urgency of the project is underscored by historical data showing that 60 cyclones have impacted the Andhra coast over the last five decades, 40 of which were categorised as severe or very severe. These environmental hazards currently threaten 30 villages and a population of roughly 60,000 residents. The erosion poses a direct risk to several of the city’s critical tourism and infrastructure assets. These include the Kursura Submarine Museum, the TU-142 Aircraft Museum, Gokul Park, and the arterial beach road connecting Visakhapatnam to Bheemili.
Beyond infrastructure, the VMRDA noted that coastal hazards have resulted in the loss of habitats and fishing equipment, creating substantial socio-economic hardships for local fishing communities who have lost access to traditional landing areas.
Under the proposed mitigation strategy, 30 specific sites have been identified for intervention.
This includes one high-risk zone at RK Beach, three moderate-risk zones at Pedajalaripeta, Mangamaripeta, and Bheemunipatnam, and 26 low-risk zones along the stretch.
Financially, the project follows a 90:10 funding model. The Government of Andhra Pradesh, through the State Disaster Management Authority (APSDMA), has committed 10 per cent of the costs, while the remaining 90 per cent is proposed to be granted under the National Disaster Mitigation Fund (NDMF) by the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Once final approval is granted, the project will be executed through a coordinated effort involving the SDMA and local panchayats, overseen by a Technical Advisory Committee to ensure ongoing monitoring and efficacy.