Andhra Pradesh is one of those underrated states in the glorious South India that often gets sidetracked by its more “modern” counterpart, Telangana. Following the state’s division, a lot has changed in terms of development and infrastructure and the roads and transportation.
And, it looks like things are only progressing towards betterment. If you are from Andhra Pradesh or have been curious to know about the state’s progress in the future, we have all the relevant information sorted out for you here.
This article will explore some of the ongoing and upcoming Andhra Pradesh Megaprojects that are worth paying close attention to.
Top Upcoming Mega Projects in Andhra Pradesh 2024
1. Amaravati Capital City
Amaravati is a proposed capital city project, the new capital of Andhra Pradesh state. Its area is 217.23 square kilometers, of which the seed capital is 16.94 square kilometers, and the entire capital region covers 8352.69 sq. km across both the Krishna and Guntur districts of the State of Andhra Pradesh.
The city is planned to be located in Guntur district, called the rice bowl of the state, where 120 multi-crop farms are irrigated in flood plains, on the banks of the Krishna river. The current area of the city has a population of 1.03 lakh people, while the total population of the capital area will be 5.8 lakh.
2. Visakhapatnam Chennai Industrial Corridor
Industrial corridors are set to change the future of India and according to reports, five industrial corridors have been proposed, which are set to change the country’s economic relationship between the states.
Among them, one that has been the talk of the town is the Visakhapatnam Chennai Industrial Corridor. The Visakhapatnam-Chennai Industrial Corridor (VCIC) is a key part of the East Coast Economic Corridor, India’s first coastal corridor. It is aligned with the Golden Quadrilateral and is poised to play a critical role in driving India’s Act East Policy and Make in India campaign.
The VCIC will span across a distance of 800 km and connect 9 districts in Andhra Pradesh. The completion of this project will not only streamline economic opportunities but also pave the way for industrial growth and employment generation.
The VCIC is expected to generate significant economic benefits for Andhra Pradesh and India as a whole. It is estimated that the VCIC will attract over $100 billion in investment and create over 1 million jobs. The VCIC is being developed in a phased manner. The first phase is expected to be completed by 2025.
3. Visakhapatnam Light Metro
The concept of rapid rail transportation is becoming more and more common across different states in India, so it isn’t surprising that Andhra Pradesh has one proposed and planned to be constructed.
The VLM will consist of four corridors with a total length of 79.91 km and 31 stations. The first phase of the project, comprising two corridors with a total length of 42.55 km, is expected to be completed by 2028.
The highlight of this metro project will involve providing commuters with a modern and efficient transportation system that will not only reduce traffic congestion but also reduce the prospects of air pollution in the state. It will also provide the locals with an affordable and accessible mode of transportation.
According to reports, the metro stations individually will feature pleasant interiors with state-of-the-art infrastructure and design elements. Also, the completion of this project will offer streamlined connectivity to the neighborhood areas.
4. Bangalore Vijayawada Expressway
As the name suggests, the Bangalore Vijayawada Expressway is an approved 4-6 lane expressway that will span across a distance of 518 km. This is an access-controlled highway, which will span in alignment with Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.
The project is being constructed as a combination of brownfield and Greenfield under the Bharatmala Pariyojana (BMP) Phase 2. Abbreviated as the BKV expressway, the same will pass through the town of Kadapa.
The expressway will pass through the districts of Bangalore Rural, Ramanagara, Channapatna, Chittoor, Kadapa, Anantapur, and Guntur. It will be a four-lane expressway with a design speed of 120 km/h. The estimated deadline is 2025 and the proposed budget is Rs. 19,320 crore.
Not just that, the completion of this project is set to reduce the travel time between Bangalore and Vijayawada to 6 hours from 12 hours. It is also going to boost the economic relations between the two states. The expressway is being constructed in 14 packages. All the packages have been awarded and construction is underway.
5. Vijayawada Airport New Terminal
Vijayawada, which is already a very busy airport in Andhra Pradesh, is undergoing expansion and a brand-new integrated terminal has been proposed, which is currently under construction. The foundational stone was laid in 2018 and the construction has been ongoing since then.
It is set to feature a 35,000m² steel and glass structure, which is being looked over by the Airports Authority of India. Also, the completion of this terminal will be able to handle an additional 1200 passengers, both domestic and international.
Reports from May 2022 suggest that around 20% of the extension work has been completed. Some of the parts of the expansion that have been completed are the apron, the four-lane approach road, and the runway expansion.
Lastly, the estimated budget for the airport’s expansion is around Rs. 611 crore. There were reports that the new terminal would be completed by 2024. However, there seems to be a change of plans.
6. Chittoor Thatchur Expressway
The Chittoor-Thatchur Expressway is a planned and upcoming 117-kilometer green field access-controlled highway in India. It will be part of the Bharatmala Pariyojana project and will start at Keenatampalli near Chittoor and terminate at Thatchur near Ponneri Chennai.
It will feature 10 major bridges, 33 minor bridges, 2 Rail Overbridges, 252 culverts, 79 vehicular underpasses, 8 interchanges, and animal crossings to minimize human-animal interaction. The project has been approved under the Bharatmala Pariyojana Phase 1 program. The detailed project report has been curated by Louis Berger Group Inc.
With the total length of the construction, the estimated budget of the project has been set to Rs. 3,197.56 crore and the estimated deadline is December 2024. With the maximum speed limit capped at 100 km/hr, the expressway will significantly reduce travel time.
Not just that, the completion of this project is estimated to boost the economic activity in the city and improve connectivity between the two cities. It will also improve people’s quality of life and offer employment options for people.
7. Polavaram Lift Irrigation Project
The country needs good multi-purpose irrigation projects, especially with the prevailing climate change that has drastically changed the weather conditions in different places.
The Polavaram Lift Irrigation Project is a multi-purpose irrigation project on the Godavari River in the Eluru District and East Godavari District in Andhra Pradesh. Furthermore, the project includes the construction of a 2454 m (8051 ft) long Earth-cum-Rock fill dam across the main river, a 1,118.40 m long spillway, a 181.999 km long Left Main Canal, and a 108.928 km long Right Main Canal.
Estimates suggest that the completion of the project will successfully irrigate around 6.03 lakh acres of land around Visakhapatnam, East Godavari, West Godavari, and Krishna Districts and also generate 1,200 MW of hydroelectricity.
This major infrastructure project is estimated to be completed by 2025 and is set to improve the facet of agriculture and economy in the state of Andhra Pradesh.
8. Visakhapatnam Eye
If you haven’t heard of this project, you are missing out big time. We are all familiar with the London Eye and according to reports, a similar project will be set in Visakhapatnam as well.
This will account for one of the three mega tourism projects in the state. Not just in terms of appearance, the Visakhapatnam Eye is also set to feature similar functionalities wherein the tourists will be able to take a ride and it will also host dining facilities.
Being in the big wheel will also enable the tourists to enjoy a stunning panoramic view of the coastal city, which will be at a height of 125 feet above the ground. According to the reports, the construction of this unique project will take place in the Kapulauppada locality.
Besides this, two other tourism megaprojects will be constructed in nearby areas, one of which will be a tunnel aquarium.
9. Ramayapatnam Port
Ramayapatnam Port is a deep-water port located on the Bay of Bengal coast in the Nellore district of Andhra Pradesh, India. The port is being developed by the Andhra Pradesh government and is expected to be completed by 2025.
The port is being developed in two phases. The first phase, which is currently underway, includes the construction of a 1,000-meter-long breakwater, a 15-meter-deep approach channel, and a 500-meter-long quay wall. The second phase will include the construction of additional quay walls, warehouses, and other port facilities.
The completion of the project is set to handle different kinds of cargo, including iron ore, coal, and containerized cargo. The port is also expected to generate thousands of jobs and boost economic activity in the region.
Being built strategically on the Bay of Bengal coast, the port will be a lot closer to the upcoming Chennai-Bengaluru Industrial Corridor and is also well-connected to the national highway and railway network.
10. Energy Cloud Storage Platform, Kurnool
According to the information, Kurnool is to be the spot where the “world’s largest clean energy hub” will be constructed.
The Energy Cloud Storage Platform (ECSP) in Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh is a world-class integrated renewable energy storage project being developed by Greenko. It is the first-of-its-kind off-stream, closed-loop, giga-watt scale long-duration energy storage project. The project is designed as a flexible and round-the-clock clean energy producer.
The energy hub will support a total capacity of 5,230 MW, including 3,000 MW of solar, 550 MW of wind, and 1,680 MW of hydropower generation. The project will also have a pumped storage capacity of 10,800 MWh per day (at six hours of hydropower pumping daily).
What’s great about this project is that it will enable ESCP to store and deliver clean energy on demand, regardless of weather conditions. This will help to integrate more renewable energy into the grid and reduce reliance on fossil fuels. The project is also expected to reduce carbon emissions by 15 million tonnes per year.
Not just on the economy and the development of India, the finished project will also boost the environmental condition and create thousands of jobs for the locals and qualified people pan India. It is set to help India achieve its renewable energy goals quite significantly.
11. Khammam Devarapalli Highway
The Devarapalli Khammam Highway is a 162.12 km long four-lane access-controlled highway connecting the cities of Devarapalli in the West Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh to Khammam in Telangana.
The highway is being constructed by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) under the Bharatmala Pariyojana Phase 1 program. The highway is expected to reduce the travel time between Devarapalli and Khammam from 3 hours to 1 hour 30 minutes.
It will also improve connectivity between the two cities and the surrounding regions, boosting economic activity and trade. The highway is currently under construction and is expected to be completed by 2024.
The project is being looked over by the National Highways Authority of India and we don’t have a clear estimation of the final budget of the project yet, so more on that will be discussed at length once it is finalized.
The latest reports about the project’s progress suggest that the land acquisition has been done successfully and the construction will happen over 5 civil packages. If you have been wondering about the benefits of this highway, it is likely going to reduce congestion and make the travel experience a lot smoother.
These are some of the most popular and significant mega projects that are currently happening or will happen sometime shortly in Andhra Pradesh. Things are shifting pretty significantly in the state, so if you have been on the lookout for scope of progress, it looks like a lot is happening.
So here is the some worth highlighting Andhra Pradesh Megaprojects 2024 that you have to aware of it. We hope that you got all the information about the Andhra Pradesh Megaprojects that are happening in this rapidly transforming state.
Conclusion
Andhra Pradesh is more than its food, culture, and traditions. The state is emerging as one of the most forward states in the country in terms of its infrastructure and the variety of technological projects that are either already happening or bound to happen in the future. The majority of these projects are being funded by the state and the central government to not just the state’s future but the country’s future in general.
We will keep you posted about all the new and upcoming Andhra Pradesh Mega Projects that are bound to happen in the future.