Bhogapuram airport set to emerge as a connectivity hub

Set to launch commercial operations in June this year, the Bhogapuram International Airport, named as Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport, tops the list of projects that improve connectivity in Visakhapatnam.

After the successful landing of the test flight recently, the green field airport is all set to emerge as the connectivity hub in the region.

The idea of developing a greenfield airport for the region was mooted in 1997 by the then Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, and after a long gap, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) gave the technical nod for the project site in 2015.

With the project getting ‘in-principal approval’ in September 2016, it was decided to take it up in the PPP mode, and amid tough competition, the project was bagged by the GMR group.

However, disputes had cropped up in land acquisition and the project was caught in a legal tangle.

Several factors like land disputes and change of the government, delayed the prestigious project which finally gained momentum in the last 18 months.

With only minor works being pending, the International airport is nearing completion and gearing up for full-fleded operations in June this year.

Besides emerging as a connectivity hub, the airport, built in an area of 2,200 acres at a cost of Rs 4,582 crore (first phase), is expected to push up exports, boost tourism and create numerous jobs. Serving as a gateway for North Andhra, it is set to change the face of the region.

Also read: Two-day Lighthouse Festival to begin tomorrow

Stay tuned to Yo! Vizag website and Instagram for more city and news updates.

This article is written by Senior Journalist Lakkoju Nagesh Babu