From Our Correspondent
Visakhapatnam: The Union Environment Ministry has granted environmental clearance to ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India (AM/NS India) for its proposed integrated steel plant in Andhra Pradesh, paving the way for one of the country’s largest industrial projects in recent years.
The proposed facility, coming up at Rajayyapeta in Anakapalli district near Visakhapatnam, involves an investment of around ₹80,000 crore in the first phase and will have an initial production capacity of 8.2 million tonnes per annum (MTPA). Spread over about 2,200 acres, the plant will include a blast furnace, steel melt shop, coke oven, and associated infrastructure.
According to officials, the project received the final environmental clearance after meeting all the stipulations laid down by the Expert Appraisal Committee of the ministry. The plant is expected to generate thousands of direct and indirect employment opportunities and boost the region’s industrial ecosystem.
AM/NS India, a joint venture between ArcelorMittal and Japan’s Nippon Steel, plans to ramp up the plant’s capacity to 24 MTPA in phases, with total investments potentially exceeding ₹1.5 lakh crore. The company already operates a pellet plant and a slurry pipeline in Visakhapatnam that carries iron ore from Chhattisgarh’s Bailadila mines — a network that will support the new unit’s raw material requirements.
Officials said the project had received all major state-level clearances within a record time, reflecting Andhra Pradesh’s proactive industrial policy. The state government has projected the mega plant as a cornerstone of its strategy to make Andhra Pradesh a steel and manufacturing hub.
Environmental groups, however, have called for close monitoring of emissions, water use, and waste management, pointing out the ecological sensitivity of the coastal belt. The company has committed to adopting advanced green technologies and developing a substantial greenbelt around the site.
Work on the ground is expected to begin later this year, marking the formal launch of what could become India’s next major steelmaking centre.