Govt approves ₹334.89 crore flyover to ease cargo at Vizag Port

The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways has approved a ₹334.89 crore internal flyover project at Visakhapatnam Port Authority, aimed at improving cargo evacuation, easing traffic congestion and streamlining movement within the port premises.

The project was cleared by Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal, after being appraised by the Delegated Investment Board, chaired by the ministry's secretary.The proposed corridor will run 3.584 kilometres as an elevated road connecting Convent Junction with the Dock Area, separating road and rail traffic within the port. It is designed to address delays at nine major railway level crossings, which currently see around 18 gate closures a day due to heavy train exchange volumes.

Those frequent closures have been adding to congestion, longer vehicle waiting times, higher fuel consumption and increased vehicle operating costs, affecting how efficiently cargo moves through the port. The elevated corridor is expected to ease vehicle and cargo movement while cutting down conflicts between road and rail traffic.The scope of work includes associated civil and electrical works, utility shifting, safety installations, and five years of maintenance thereafter. Construction is to be planned in a way that minimises disruption to ongoing port operations, particularly in the critical dock areas, and the project is scheduled for completion within 30 months of commencement.

Sonowal said the project would remove a critical bottleneck at the port and improve overall operational efficiency, adding that the government remained committed to building modern, globally competitive port infrastructure. He also linked the investment to the broader transformation of India's maritime sector under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, framing it as part of efforts to build a self-reliant maritime ecosystem in line with the Atmanirbhar Bharat and Viksit Bharat 2047 goals.

The ministry said the investment is aligned with the government's integrated infrastructure planning under the PM GatiShakti framework, and that improved last-mile connectivity within the port would strengthen Visakhapatnam Port's role in India's maritime logistics and trade network.