Visakhapatnam: Vizag Chennai Industrial Corridor (VCIC), which was part of AP bifurcation deal, is aimed at generating Rs 7. 82 lakh crore of manufacturing output by 2035. As per the conceptual development plan prepared by Asian Development Bank, which has agreed to fund the project, had identified four key nodes in Andhra Pradesh as part of the corridor.
VCIC is the key part of the East Coast Economic Corridor and India’s first coastal economic corridor. According to the plan, strengthening the arterial roads and rail networks of the corridor is also critical for the competitiveness of the corridor.
ADB opines that while sectors like food processing, textiles and chemicals & petrochemicals will continue being major contributor to output other sectors like electronics, automobile and pharmaceuticals will grow faster than the rest. Visakhapatnam, Kakinada, Machlipatnam and Tirupati-Srikalahasti nodes have been identified as the future growth drivers. In Vizag node, industries related to pharmaceuticals, metallurgy, non-metallic minerals, chemical and petrochemicals, food-processing in Kakin-ada node, food-processing, chemical and petrochemical, paper and non-metallic minerals have been planned.
In Machilipatnam node, pharmaceuticals, metallurgy, textiles, food-processing, non-metallic minerals and in Tirupati-Srikalahasti node, metallurgy, food-processing, textiles, non-metallic have been envisaged. Strengthening rail and road connectivity has also been identified as a key aspect for the success of the VCIC. Chennai-Vizag segment is considered as one of the top seven routes of the Indian rail network. The present electrified double-line in the segment is already operating at 8-90pc utilisation even before VCIC execution.
The conceptual plan env-isaged separation of freight and passenger through dedicated freight corridors (DFCs). Studies for 2 DFCs-Chennai-Kolkata and Delhi-Vijayawada, will need to be accelerated, as per the plan.
“No doubt VCIC would give a boost to state’s economy, but for railway lines - two for passenger trains movement and two for goods rail to move cargo is essential. Four railway lines among which two lines dedicated for upward and downward cargo mov-ement would be the key for the success of VCIC,” the Andhra Chambers of Commerce and Industry Federation vice-president G Sambasiva Rao, said.
