Andhra Pradesh’s Bhogapuram airport is being considered as the future growth engines of Visakhapatnam and will replace its existing aerodrome.
Being constructed by the GMR Group, the 2200 acre airport will be completed in 18 months, says the YSRCP election manifesto. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy laid the foundation stone for a new greenfield airport in May last year.
Bhogapuram airport’s progress
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Presently, the 40-kilometre stretch between Visakhapatnam and Bhogapuram is seeing a rapid growth with new ventures being launched by real estate firms and investment proposals pouring in.
“The construction work at the Bhogapuram airport is progressing at a rapid pace. Efforts are being made on a war footing to meet the project’s milestones,” a GMR spokesperson said.
Director of Visakhapatnam International Airport S Raji Reddy said the aerodrome’s annual passenger capacity stands at 3.5 million, with 2.8 million passengers handled as per the latest data. He further noted that approximately 30 flights, including international services, operate daily from the Vizag airport.
As per Reddy, once the airport at Bhogapuram becomes operational, commercial activities at the existing Vizag facility will cease. Notably, a portion of the Visakhapatnam airport is under the jurisdiction of the Indian Navy.
As per the concession agreement, the first phase of the Bhogapuram Airport project is slated for completion within three years. The project includes a dedicated, state-of-the-art cargo terminal tailored for exports, an aerotropolis, and an airport city in the vicinity, ensuring top-notch facilities for efficient cargo operations, as previously stated by GMR.
The greenfield airport, developed under a Public-Private Partnership model, will initially accommodate six million passengers per annum and will be expanded based on passenger traffic growth, according to GMR.
Land acquisition for Bhogapuram airport
Earlier, the Chairman of GMR Group, GM Rao, had said that the group will be investing Rs 5,000 crore in the first phase of the airport’s development. The land was acquired for the airport a few years ago, however, due to some compensation issues raised by land owners, the project could not move ahead.
As a component of the rehabilitation and resettlement program, more than 450 families were relocated to new areas, according to a statement from a local revenue official.
Furthermore, the government has established two fresh colonies to accommodate the displaced families.
“I have given half an acre and I got Rs 16.5 lakh as compensation. My family moved to the new colony (known as Airport Colony) one and a half years ago. We are happy with our settlement,” One of the displaced persons told PTI.
(With PTI inputs)
