AP CII Aiming at First and Last Mile Connectivity

Visakhapatnam: The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII)’s AP conference on ports and multimodal transportation, with the theme, ‘Aiming towards first and last mile connectivity’ was held on Tuesday. It brought together industry experts, government officials and stakeholders to discuss the critical role of ports and logistics in driving economic growth.

Dr PP Lal Krishna, chairman of CII Visakhapatnam, emphasized the strategic importance of developing Visakhapatnam as a gateway for trade and investment. He stated that the right kind of development in Visakhapatnam can truly be a game-changer for the state.

Lal Krishna highlighted the potential for job creation, economic growth and investments in the ports and logistics sector. He highlighted the potential for economic growth through collaboration with the AP government and emphasized the invitation for private sector participation in the development of logistics parks.

He underscored the state government's openness to welcoming private players for this initiative.

Addressing the urgent need to improve road infrastructure for seamless cargo movement and safety, convener of the Infrastructure and Logistics Panel at CII AP, Sambasiva Rao, stressed the importance of road widening, elevated corridors and the establishment of suitable parking facilities.

Rajesh Grandhi, vice chairman, CII Visakhapatnam, claimed that AP was “sailing through the waves of economic growth,” and its ports served as essential gateways.

Grandhi said the ongoing developments and future plans solidified the status of these ports as integral components to India's maritime sector.

He emphasized the need for a holistic approach to logistics development, considering sustainability and stakeholder interests when formulating policies related to ports and multimodal transportation initiatives.

Discussions during the conference revolved around short-term recommendations, including stakeholder consultations and logistics capacity development, as well as ambitious medium-term initiatives to enhance port-road synergies.

The conference also envisioned long-term solutions, advocating identification and planning of elevated corridors in the city logistics master plans.

The conference called upon the state government to prioritise logistics requirements for sustained economic growth, positioning of AP as a port-led economy and envisioning Visakhapatnam as the preferred East Coast logistics capital.