A fisherfolk in his hut a part of which was swept away due to erosion at Uppada in Kakinada district.
| Photo Credit: File photo
The experts of the National Centre for Coastal Research (NCCR), Chennai, have proposed a seawall along the Uppada coast in Kakinada district at a cost of ₹323 crore, recommending it as an immediate way to check the alarming speed of erosion.
On July 3, the NCCR experts began technical investigation along the Uppada coast in response to a request by Deputy Chief Minister K. Pawan Kalyan.
Mr. Pawan explained the NCCR experts about the challenges and displacement of the coastal communities due to erosion, which was on the rise since the geo-tube began to sweep away into the sea. The Kakinada-Uppada road, which leads towards Kakinada Special Economic Zone has also been damaged due to erosion.
Prior to 2010, the 1.5 km-long geo-tube was installed along the Uppada coast. However, it could not withstand the giant waves, which dismantled the tube and ate into the fisherfolks habitations at Nemam, Ameenabad, Subbampeta, Komaragiri.
According to the State Department of Survey, the Uppada coast has lost 1,360 acres of land since 2020 at the rate of 1.23 m per year and the maximum of 26.3 m of land had been lost to erosion during 2017-18.
Referring to the NCCR’s proposal for the seawall, Kakinada MP Tangella Uday said, “The NCCR has proposed for a seawall with an estimated cost of ₹323 crore. On July 30, the proposal will be discussed by the National Disaster Management Authority in New Delhi. Secretary to Home Ministry Govind Mohan will chair the meeting.”
In 2021, the Central Water and Power Research Station (CWPRS-Pune) has recommended a five-km seawall with a five-layer geomaterial to arrest the erosion along the Uppada coast, with an estimated cost of ₹176 crore.
Published – July 16, 2025 06:29 am IST
