State government has sanctioned the long-awaited development of the Canal Road corridor between Rajamahendravaram and Kakinada Port.
The 62-kilometre stretch, which passes through key towns such as Dwarapudi and Anaparthi, will be developed under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model. The project aims to bring in private sector efficiency while enabling public benefit, aligning with the broader goal of creating sustainable and economically inclusive urban-rural corridors. Field-level surveys are currently underway to evaluate the existing road infrastructure. According to officials overseeing the project, consultants will soon be appointed to draft a Detailed Project Report (DPR), with a government-mandated deadline of four months for its submission. Administrative approvals have already been secured, and the route has been designated as a State Highway — a move that will elevate its maintenance and monitoring standards.
The proposed corridor holds strategic value beyond mere road connectivity. It is expected to serve as a vital economic lifeline between inland towns and Kakinada Port, one of the major maritime gateways in the region. Officials from the State Roads and Buildings Department and representatives from the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) confirmed that preliminary proposals have already been submitted to both state and central agencies for technical and financial vetting. This route will offer an alternate path between National Highway 16 (NH-16) and National Highway 216 (NH-216), thereby reducing pressure on the often-congested ADB Road.
Stretching across multiple constituencies — including Rajamahendravaram Urban, Anaparthi, Mandapeta, Peddapuram, and Kakinada Urban — the Canal Road corridor is anticipated to be a transformative infrastructure intervention. The road passes through an estimated 60 villages and has long been cited by planners and civil society as critical to enabling equitable access to both economic and social opportunities. xperts note that this development could help correct decades of logistical and developmental imbalance in the region. Improved road connectivity is expected to aid in the transport of agricultural and industrial goods from the interior parts of East Godavari and neighbouring districts such as Krishna, West Godavari, and Eluru, directly to the port. This will not only reduce travel time but also lower the carbon footprint of freight movement — aligning with the state’s commitment to creating eco-friendly and low-emission transport networks.
The project also bears significance for tourism development. The corridor offers proximity to several religious and cultural landmarks in Dwarapudi, Mandapeta, Bikkavolu, and Samalkot. Infrastructure planners see this as an opportunity to promote local tourism in an environmentally sustainable manner. If executed with green engineering practices, the road could double as a heritage and pilgrimage circuit that boosts local employment and small businesses. In addition to tourism, the upgraded road is expected to improve access to industrial zones around Peddapuram and Samarlakota, facilitating smoother movement of goods and workforce. Urban development experts suggest that better road infrastructure in these clusters can incentivise the growth of logistics parks, warehousing hubs, and ancillary manufacturing units, which in turn could lead to job creation and increased land value.
What gives the project a crucial head-start is the fact that land acquisition had already been completed during an earlier but unsuccessful attempt to launch the project in 2016, when an estimated budget of ₹230 crore was floated. That effort stalled due to political and administrative delays. However, with the new government’s renewed emphasis on unlocking stranded infrastructure assets, this prior land acquisition is likely to significantly reduce implementation costs and timeframes. In recent years, the condition of the existing Canal Road has deteriorated drastically. Between 2019 and 2024, over 40 kilometres of the stretch had become riddled with potholes and structural damage, prompting frequent complaints from commuters and logistics operators. No significant repair or upgrade works were undertaken during that time, rendering the road nearly impassable in some sections. The recent change in government and administrative leadership has resulted in the launch of initial repair works, offering much-needed respite to daily travellers and reviving public interest in the corridor’s full-scale redevelopment.
Transport planners and citizen advocacy groups have welcomed the PPP model for the project, noting that it may allow the government to leverage private investment and expertise without overextending public finances. However, they stress that the environmental and social safeguards must be robustly integrated into the planning and execution phases. With rising climate volatility, flood-resilient designs, rainwater harvesting systems, and tree-lined avenues are among the recommended interventions to ensure the road’s long-term sustainability. Despite its many positives, the project does face some challenges. Ensuring transparency in the PPP bidding process, avoiding cost overruns, and maintaining equitable access to villages along the corridor remain critical concerns. Officials have assured that all stakeholders, including gram panchayats and local NGOs, will be consulted before finalising the DPR to ensure the road design respects both ecological balance and community needs.
The broader hope among regional planners is that the Canal Road project will serve as a model for how infrastructure in semi-urban and rural areas can be both economically productive and environmentally responsible. With the groundwork now being laid and administrative hurdles cleared, the coming months will reveal whether this ambitious corridor can live up to its transformative promise.
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