Uppada Coastal Protection Wall: IIT Madras Begins Survey and DPR Work

IIT Madras has started field-level surveys at Uppada in the Pithapuram Assembly constituency as part of the design and Detailed Project Report (DPR) for a proposed coastal protection wall. The project is being taken forward under the special supervision of Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan, with the objective of addressing the long-standing coastal erosion problem faced by residents in the region.

A five-member team of IIT Madras experts is carrying out advanced surveys along the coastline and in the sea. The study includes drone surveys, beach profiling, shoreline mapping and bathymetric surveys to assess sea depth and seabed conditions. The team is also collecting sand and soil samples and studying coastal topography, wave impact, erosion intensity, changes in the shoreline and the direction of sea currents. The findings will be used to identify a suitable alignment and prepare the technical design and DPR for the ₹323-crore coastal protection project. The government has also directed that environmental and other required approvals be pursued alongside the design and DPR work so that project execution can begin within the stipulated timeframe.