CM Naidu reacts on the increase of toll charges in Visakhapatnam

Chandrababu Naidu reacts on the increase of toll charges in Visakhapatnam: Much to the agony of many denizens of Visakhapatnam, the toll charges on the Port road have been increased recently. Generally, the percentage of increase in toll charge is 20% but the rates have been doubled compared to normal charges. The to and fro rate for a car used to be Rs 27 and has been doubled to Rs 54. While the to and fro toll rate for a bus was Rs 95 earlier, it has now been hiked to Rs 189.

Responding over the same, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, Nara Chandrababu Naidu, who was recently in the city, said he would always hold the interests of the Visakhapatnam people as the top priority. The CM asked the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and the Port to put the increase in toll charges on hold for at least a year given the traffic diversions due to the NAD flyover works.

Chandrababu Naidu urged the centre not to implement the civil flights’ restrictions under consideration in Vizag airport.

“If the proposed restrictions are implemented, it shall have an effect of about 5-7 hours on weekdays including peak traffic period in the evening. The proposed restriction is envisaged to have severe impact on the civil air traffic in Visakhapatnam along with economy and tourism of the state. Scheduled airline operators may likely be forced to reduce number of aircraft movements at Visakhapatnam Airport. This may result in reduced number of flight options to the business travelers and passengers and also decrease the number of tourist footfalls in the region.

I would like to bring to your notice that the Government of Andhra Pradesh is planning to develop a Greenfield International Airport at Bhogapuram, Vizianagaram district (about 45 km from existing Airport at Visakhapatnam). The Airport is envisaged to be developed at a cost of Rs. 2300 Crore on 2500 acres of land. After the development of the Airport at Bhogapuram, the runway of the INS Dega will be available completely for military purpose.

In this regard, I request you not to impose any restrictions on the civil air traffic, till the time the Airport at Bhogapuram is completed, and the airport be allowed to continue to operate as per the current schedule for civilian passenger air traffic,” the CM wrote in his letter to Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.