Maharashtra Minister lauds Andhra Pradesh’s model of developing greenfield ports

Andhra Pradesh’s Minister for Infrastructure & Investments B.C. Janardhan Reddy presenting a memento to Maharashtra’s Minister for Fisheries & Ports Nitesh Rane as APMB CEO C.V. Praveen Adhithya looks on during a meeting at the Secretariat in Amaravati on Thursday. Maharashtra’s Minister of Fisheries & Ports Nitesh Rane met Andhra Pradesh’s Minister for Roads & Buildings, and Infrastructure & Investments B.C. Janardhan Reddy at the Secretariat on Thursday. Both the leaders held extensive discussions on greenfield ports, fishing harbours, shipbuilding and logistics.Mr. Janardhan Reddy said the Andhra Pradesh government was moving forward with a comprehensive plan to transform the State into a maritime, port, and logistics hub of the country, and promote the fisheries sector.A capital expenditure of ₹4,500 crore was being incurred on the construction of each greenfield port. These ports were of great importance to export-import trade in landlocked States such as Telangana and Chhattisgarh, the Minister said.He further said approval was given for the Vijayawada–Amaravati Water Metro project and nine locations in Andhra Pradesh were identified by the Central government as suitable for seaplane services.The State government was requesting the Central government to allocate approximately 20,000 acres of salt lands along the coastline to the Andhra Pradesh Maritime Board (APMB) to readily make them available for future maritime infrastructure development, Mr. Reddy added.CEO of APMB C.V. Praveen Adhithya briefed Mr. Rane about the steps being taken by the State government for the development of ports and strengthening the logistics sector.Mr. Rane appreciated the development of three greenfield ports in Andhra Pradedsh under the landlord model, and said it was worth emulating by other coastal States.The Ministers opined that States such as Gujarat, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, and Andhra Pradesh, which possess vast coastlines and were at the forefront of port-led development, had immense opportunities to achieve in the maritime sector if they could share their ideas and policies, and move forward together.Maharashtra’s Maritime Board CEO P. Pradeep, Chief Port Officer Praveen Khara, and Executive Engineer Manish Metkar, and APMB Chief Engineer G. Veera Raghava Rao were present. Published - October 08, 2026 07:20 pm IST