Union Minister inaugurates ‘Promenade’ at Vizag Port; lays foundation stone at ₹ 560 cr. projects

Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal on Tuesday toured the newly opened harbor promenade along with Visakhapatnam MP M. Sribharat and senior officials of the Visakhapatnam Port Authority (VPA). | Photo credit: IN PARADISE

Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW) Sarbananda Sonowal dedicated the waterfront ‘promenade’ at Visakhapatnam Port to the public and laid foundation stones for four new projects. About ₹ 560 crore package of new works at the port. He was accompanied by MP M Sribharat and other representatives.

Visakhapatnam Port Authority (VPA) Chairman Jasmeet Singh Bindra, Vice Chairman K. Roshni Aparanji said that the harbor promenade was constructed at a cost of ₹ 19 crore. It runs about 710 meters along the water and covers about 5.5 acres. The promenade has a waterfront walkway and two observation decks, one with a Titanic-style lookout, along with a park, public square, children’s playground, food court and visitor parking. It was built on existing port land without affecting cargo operations. Its location next to the cruise terminal is also intended to increase the terminal’s appeal to cruise passengers.

Addressing the gathering, Mr. Sonowal said that Visakhapatnam was blessed with beautiful nature and had the potential to become a major economic and maritime hub. He said the VPA has just started its shifts and the port has a bright future.

Referring to the significant transformation in the maritime sector in the last 12 years in the country, Mr. Sonowal said that Indian ports have seen significant progress in port operations, turnaround time, quality of manpower, technology, innovation, modernization and digitization. The ministry has been able to advance several initiatives to strengthen the country’s maritime infrastructure, he said.

Comparing the economic position of the country before and after 2014, he said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India has moved from a fragile economic situation to the world’s third largest economy. He said the government’s focus on infrastructure and economic development will further strengthen India’s global position.

Earlier, Visakhapatnam MP M. Sribharat suggested that the port explore the possibility of setting up a fine dining restaurant along the bay in line with the experience offered at the port to give visitors an opportunity to enjoy the city’s coastline and seafood. He said several people have expressed the need for more seafood outlets in the city. With a cruise terminal also attached to the area, the proposed facility could benefit both passengers coming into the city and local visitors, he said.

Mr. Sonowal also laid the foundation stones for three contracts for operation and maintenance of existing cargo terminals worth a total of about ₹ 580 crore. They cover berths WQ-1 and WQ-1RE; WQ-2 and WQ-3; and EQ-3. He also laid the foundation stone for upgrading the port’s sewage treatment plant from 10 million liters per day to 15 million liters, including a new 5 million litre, at an estimated cost of about ₹ 11 crore.

Mr. Sonowal said the port handled a record 91.17 million metric tons of cargo in fiscal 2025-26, up about 10% from a year earlier and the fourth consecutive year of growth. From April 1 to October 31, cargo was up 4.44 million metric tons, or 8.88%, from the same period last year. “You have to beat last year’s target of 10% growth,” Sonowal encouraged the port staff while talking and interacting with them.

YSRCP Rajya Sabha MP Golla Babu Rao, Visakhapatnam South MLA Vamsi Krishna Srinivas, BJP MLA P. Vishnu Kumar Raju were present.

Published – 11 Nov 2026 22:09 IST