Over half of key Sagarmala projects delayed amid land, bureaucratic hurdles

Even as India’s Sagarmala programme continues to push for port-led development, more than half of its key road and rail connectivity projects remain stuck in limbo, mired in bureaucratic delays, land acquisition hurdles and fragmented coordination across government agencies.

According to an official response in Parliament, only 74 of the 272 critical connectivity projects identified under the scheme have been completed so far. While 67 are under implementation, a substantial 131 remain at the development stage, with no clear timelines or visible progress.

The Centre has taken steps to address institutional bottlenecks, including forming a National Sagarmala Apex Committee and holding Maritime States Development Council (MSDC) meetings to foster inter-ministerial coordination. Yet, on-ground execution remains patchy.

“Land acquisition is a major stumbling block. Add to that the complex coordination required between state and central authorities, and it becomes clear why these projects are dragging,” a senior official from the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways said.

Of the 839 projects worth Rs 5.79 lakh crore identified under Sagarmala, including port modernisation, new port development and coastal community uplift, connectivity remains the most delayed segment. Around Rs 2.42 lakh crore worth of projects are being implemented through the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model, with the rest funded via the EPC (Engineering, Procurement and Construction) route.

However, even private investors are treading cautiously amid slow regulatory clearances and fiscal uncertainty.

To address financing delays, the ministry claims it has revised the Sagarmala funding guidelines “for more financial propriety and speeding up of project implementation”. But experts say the results on the ground remain far from reassuring.