MoRTH to build ₹20,000-cr port connectivity roads in AP

The Central Government has announced plans to invest ₹20,000 crore in the construction of four-lane highways connecting all ports in Andhra Pradesh, according to the Union Transport Minister. The projects will be built irrespective of the port's classification as a minor, major, private, or state port. The decision was taken due to the state's location at the intersection of three industrial corridors: Visakhapatnam - Chennai, Chennai - Bengaluru, and Hyderabad - Bengaluru. The construction of the Raipur-Visakhapatnam expressway corridor, which will reduce travel time to five-and-a-half hours, was also announced. Additionally, the construction of a 430-kilometer road project connecting Nagpur and Vijayawada is set to commence shortly. India currently faces a significant logistics cost of 16%, as compared to 10% in China and 12% in the United States and the European Union. The government aims to reduce logistics costs over the next five years. Furthermore, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways is exploring the possibility of creating electric highways and hydrogen fuel for the future. The feasibility of laying optic-fibre cables along the roadside between Hyderabad and Bengaluru is currently being evaluated.