Officials plan express road network between Visakhapatnam and Bhogapuram for the upcoming international airport

An aerial view of the road leading to the new airport coming up in Visakhapatnam recently.
| Photo Credit: K.R. Deepak

The stakeholders of the State government, including the Visakhapatnam Metropolitan Region Development Authority (VMRDA), have been drawing up plans for the last few weeks to facilitate a modern and express road network between Visakhapatnam city and Bhogapuram in Vizianagaram district, where an international greenfield airport is being built by GMR Group.

Since the proposed Vizag metro rail project is lagging behind and appears to be taking several years to complete, the government authorities have felt that the focus should be on developing the road network in an express highway model as an alternative facility before the airport project is completed.

Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu also raised the issue in an internal meeting with stakeholders, including VMRDA officials, during his latest two-day visit to north coastal Andhra Pradesh in the city last week.

“Yes, Mr. Naidu specifically mentioned about this road project between Visakhapatnam and Bhogapuram keeping in mind the future traffic due to the arrival of air passengers, VIPs and VVIPs after the airport opens. We are currently preparing the preliminary plans and we are working on it,” a senior VMRDA official, who attended the CM’s meeting, told The Hindu on Monday.

According to the airport passenger travel pattern estimates, once the Bhogapuram airport opens, the passenger trip interaction between the airport and Visakhapatnam city will be around 65% and with Vizianagaram town 8.2%.

The passenger trip interaction between the airport and outer zones will be around 23.9%. This includes Srikakulam Highway side (11.7%), Rajam side (4.1%), Salur side (0.5%), Araku side (1.6%), Chodavaram side (0.1%) and 4.7% towards Vijayawada via Anandapuram Junction on the NH-16 without entering Visakhapatnam.

10 flyovers

Since the passenger pattern between the airport and Visakhapatnam (GVMC core area) is around 65%, the authorities have proposed 10 flyovers from Visakhapatnam Steel Plant to Anandapuram Junction, where National Highway-16 is connected.

The proposed 10 flyovers are at Car Shed Junction, Yendada, Hanumanthawaka Junction, Maddilapalem, Wipro/Satyam Junction, Gurudwara Junction, NAD Junction (already built), Akkayyapalem, Thatichetlapalem, Gajuwaka and Vizag Steel Plant.