Kakinada SEZ Industrial Port + City Master Plan

Kakinada SEZ Ltd (KSEZ) was developing a port based Multi-product Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in Kakinada, East Godavari District, Andhra Pradesh, India. Here, CH2MHILL, in collaboration with Life Architecture + Planning, was commissioned to provide a strategic master plan for the development, with services ranging from a macro-scale vision to in-depth engineering and financial analysis.

The Government of India had granted “Formal Approval” to the SEZ which will be developed over an area of more than 11,000 acres (4450 hectares), including 8 kilometers of sea frontage.

Strategically located along on the eastern coast of the Bay of Bengal, in an area rich in oil and natural gas deposits, KSEZ has the excellent logistical linkages to national highways (NH-5), railway networks, air and sea ports. The Government of India as part of the Petroleum, Chemical & Petrochemical Investment Region (PCPIR) Policy Act of 2007, has identified KSEZ as the coastal area between Kakinada (15 km south) and Visakhapatnam (120 km north) in the State of Andhra Pradesh as an important economic region for planned development necessary to benefit the state and the country.

Therefore, KSEZ will form an integral part of the PCPIR development by leveraging the opportunity to capitalize on three catalyst anchor projects that will benefit the domestic and international markets.

• 15 to 30 MMPTA Grass Roots Refinery & Downstream Petrochemical Complex

• 6.3 to 10.3 Thermal Power Generation Hub (Predominately based on imported coal)

• Multi-Cargo All Weather Deep Sea Port ( For import and export of bulk and liquids)

To augment the existence of the seaport and power generation hub, KSEZ planned to develop specific activities such as port backed logistics and warehousing, manufacture of all types of products that require large amounts of reliable power, downstream chemicals and access to shipping, for which there exists significant demand.

To support such a huge initial investment, a wide variety of closely integrated land uses are needed to support the endeavor and create what will ultimately be a new industrial township. Of utmost importance is how to ‘stitch the development’ into both the existing socio-economic life of the affected coastal communities as well as the natural environment.

Goals for the development included:

• Maximize the Benefits of having a Special Economic Zone (SEZ), including investment, employment, exports, and infrastructure.

• Build world class infrastructure, both physical and social.

• Enable industries to establish businesses within the zone and export their products.

• Contribute to the overall development of the region and nation.

Goals for the master plan included:

• Create financially salient master plan solutions with land use opportunities that can be supported by infrastructure that require a reasonable initial investment by KSEZ.

• Balance the KSEZ long-term goals with the desire for an overall master plan development strategy for the entire property with land uses and infrastructure which can be implemented in the short-term.

• Focus on master plan solutions which are flexible with regard to phasing to reduce risk and allow for easy expansion within the KSEZ property boundaries with increasing demand.

• Generate a master plan solutions and a development guiding principles that can become a sound business investment and help promote KSEZ a major landmark for the East Godavari District, Andhra Pradesh and India.