Wed Jul 16 00:59:13 UTC 2025: **Summary:**

The Uppada coast in Kakinada district, Andhra Pradesh, India, is facing severe erosion, having lost 1,360 acres of land since 2020. A previously installed geo-tube failed to prevent the erosion, displacing coastal communities. The National Centre for Coastal Research (NCCR) has proposed a ₹323 crore seawall as an immediate solution. The proposal will be discussed by the National Disaster Management Authority later in July. Another proposal from 2021 suggested a five-km seawall at a lower cost.

**News Article:**

**Urgent Measures Proposed to Combat Coastal Erosion in Uppada, India**

**Kakinada, India – July 16, 2025** – Alarming coastal erosion in Uppada, Kakinada district, Andhra Pradesh, is threatening coastal communities and infrastructure. The National Centre for Coastal Research (NCCR) has proposed the construction of a ₹323 crore seawall to address the escalating crisis.

The Uppada coast has witnessed a significant loss of land, with 1,360 acres eroded since 2020, averaging 1.23 meters per year, and peaking at 26.3 meters in 2017-18. A previously installed 1.5 km geo-tube, intended to mitigate erosion, failed to withstand the force of the waves and has since been dismantled. This failure has resulted in the displacement of residents in areas such as Nemam, Ameenabad, Subbampeta, and Komaragiri, and damage to the vital Kakinada-Uppada road.

Deputy Chief Minister K. Pawan Kalyan brought the urgency of the situation to the attention of NCCR experts, prompting a technical investigation on July 3rd. In response, the NCCR has recommended the construction of a seawall.

Kakinada MP Tangella Uday announced that the NCCR’s proposal will be reviewed by the National Disaster Management Authority on July 30th, under the chairmanship of Home Ministry Secretary Govind Mohan.

This isn’t the first attempt to address the erosion. In 2021, the Central Water and Power Research Station (CWPRS-Pune) suggested a five-km seawall using a five-layer geomaterial at an estimated cost of ₹176 crore. It remains to be seen which proposal will be adopted to protect the vulnerable Uppada coastline.

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