Sat Jul 05 04:06:28 UTC 2025: **Summary:**

Visakhapatnam’s coastline is facing significant erosion due to global warming, rising sea levels, and an increase in cyclones. This threatens the Beach Road, a major tourist attraction with numerous high-rise buildings nearby. The Visakhapatnam Metropolitan Region Development Authority (VMRDA) is collaborating with various national organizations to implement a ₹203 crore mitigation plan. This plan includes both nature-based solutions like bio-shields and dune enhancement, as well as structural solutions like retaining walls and groynes, across 30 identified erosion-prone sites in Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram, and Srikakulam districts.

**News Article:**

**Visakhapatnam Coastline Under Threat: ₹203 Crore Plan Launched to Combat Erosion**

**VISAKHAPATNAM, July 5, 2025** – Visakhapatnam’s iconic beaches are facing a growing threat from coastal erosion, prompting immediate action from local and national authorities. The city’s Beach Road, a major tourist attraction lined with high-rise buildings, has already experienced cave-ins, raising concerns about the long-term stability of the coastline.

Experts attribute the erosion to the effects of global warming, rising sea levels, and increasingly frequent cyclones hitting the region. Professor S.S.V.S Ramakrishna, formerly of Andhra University’s Department of Meteorology and Oceanography, notes the shift from normal monsoon rains to more destructive cyclone patterns.

In response, the Visakhapatnam Metropolitan Region Development Authority (VMRDA), in collaboration with the National Disaster Management Authority, National Institute of Oceanography (NIO), and National Centre for Coastal Research (NCCR), has unveiled a comprehensive ₹203 crore mitigation plan.

“We have assembled a team of 25 experts to design a mitigation plan, following extensive research and deliberation,” stated VMRDA Commissioner K.S. Viswanathan. “The plan has been approved by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, with the Centre covering 90% of the cost and the State government funding the remaining 10%.”

The plan targets 30 habitation sites across Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram, and Srikakulam districts deemed vulnerable to coastal erosion. It will incorporate a mix of nature-based and structural solutions. Bio-shields will be deployed at 26 sites, while dune enhancement and hybrid solutions will be implemented at others. Strategic construction of retaining walls at locations like Gokul Park and the Kursura Submarine Museum, coupled with the construction of groynes at Mangamaripeta and Bheemunipatnam, will further fortify the coastline.

Commissioner Viswanathan emphasizes that the initiative is a “comprehensive protection plan that addresses both conservation and restoration, using nature-based solutions” to minimize the impact on coastal ecosystems.

Work on the project is expected to begin shortly and is slated to be completed within two years. The initiative hopes to provide sustainable protection for the region’s coastline and protect lives, habitats, infrastructure, and the environment.

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