en.Wedoany.com Reported - Kakinada Gateway Port Limited (KGPL) is advancing port works in Thondangi, Kakinada, with construction carried out by Auro Infra Private Limited. Phase I is expected to be completed by December 2026. The first berth is anticipated to become operational by the end of 2026, and all three berths of Phase I are scheduled to be completed by December 2027.
KGPL is building one of the deepest ports in the country, with a designed handling capacity of 120 million tonnes (120 mn t) and a planned draft depth of 20 meters. A total of 25 berths are planned along a 6-kilometer coastline, with works already underway in a 1.5-kilometer-wide section. An 8-kilometer channel between the north and south breakwaters will accommodate vessels of approximately 200,000 deadweight tonnage (200,000 DWT) directly reaching the berths.
The total estimated investment for the three-phase project is Rs 110 billion (Rs 110 bn), with Rs 40 billion for Phase I, Rs 20 billion for Phase II, and Rs 50 billion for Phase III. An additional Rs 4 billion (Rs 4 bn) has been allocated for constructing a railway link to support cargo transportation. The port will provide direct berths for dry bulk, liquid, and gas carriers.
Kakinada Special Economic Zone (KSEZ) has allocated 1,600 acres of land to KGPL for maritime logistics, cargo, and fuel import and export. This SEZ land has been incorporated into the Bharatmala four-lane highway plan. The project is expected to support offshore operations of energy and industrial enterprises, including Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC), GAIL, and Reliance Group, while integrating sea, land, and rail transport. Project planners estimate that upon completion, it will directly and indirectly create over 150,000 (0.15 mn) jobs.
With industries moving into the SEZ and leveraging port logistics support, related projects worth Rs 1.5 trillion (Rs 1.5 tn) are expected to be initiated over the next two to three years. Construction activities remain active as work progresses toward established milestones.
