Bhogapuram Airport to be developed on fast-track mode

Visakhapatnam: Bhogapuram International Airport being developed by GMR Group has been given a fast-track status by the State Government.

The land has been handed over to the developer. The work has also started immediately after Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy laid the foundation stone in the presence of GMR Group Chairman Grandhi Mallikarjuna Rao on May 3. “Though the first phase is scheduled for completion in three years, we have asked the developer to complete it ahead of schedule,” Industries Minister Gudivada Amarnath said.

The project will be developed in three phases. As per the Detailed Project Report, in the first phase, it will handle six million passengers per annum. In the subsequent phase, the capacity will go up to 12 million passengers. The last phase will see an increase in capacity to 18 million passengers. However, the phase-wise completion will depend on demand in passenger growth.

The Civil Enclave in Visakhapatnam (INS Dega) will be closed for 30 years from the date of commencement of operations of Bhogapuram International Airport. Government Advisor on Industries Sridhar Lanka told Bizz Buzz that once Bhogapuram receives flights, the existing airport in Visakhapatnam will be used exclusively for defence purposes.

At present, Visakhapatnam International Airport exists on the INS Dega compound leading to permissions from the naval authorities, a prerequisite for increasing frequency of domestic and international flights.

The greenfield airport at Bhogapuram is envisaged for an investment of Rs 4,592 crore in the first phase. The total land area of the airport will be 2203.26 acres with CAT I enabled runaway spread across 3,800 meters and a cargo terminal in 5,000 sq meters.

MoU was signed between the Airports Authority of India (AAI) and the Government of Andhra Pradesh on September 9, 2022, wherein it was agreed that the State Government will mutate the entire airport land in the name of AAI without charging any stamp duty or mutation charges or any other charges or fee within six months from the date of signing of MoU, and Civil Enclave at Visakhapatnam (INS Dega) will be closed for 30 years from the date of commencement of operations of Bhogapuram International Airport, according to Press Information Bureau.

The MoU between the Ministry of Civil Aviation and the Airport Developer i.e. GMR Visakhapatnam International Airport Limited (GVIAL) was exchanged on March 3 last for reserved services at the airport.

GMR Group is a leading global infrastructure conglomerate with unparalleled expertise in designing, building, and operating airports. It also has a significant presence in sectors like energy, transportation, and urban infrastructure.

GMR Airports is the largest private airport operator in Asia and the second largest in the world with a passenger handling capacity of over 189 million annually. GMR Airports Limited (GAL), a subsidiary of GMR Airports Infrastructure Limited [formerly known as GMR Infrastructure Limited] (GIL) has Groupe ADP as its strategic partner, which is holding a 49 per cent stake.

GMR Airports operates the iconic Delhi Airport, which is the largest and fastest-growing airport in India. It also runs Hyderabad Airport, a pioneering greenfield airport known for several technological innovations. The company also operates New Goa Airport, which is India’s first destination airport. The airport offers everything a tourist looks for i.e. liveliness in the serene lap of nature, making it a perfect destination for leisure and holistic tourism, according to GMR Group.

The Civil Enclave in Visakhapatnam (INS Dega) will be closed for 30 years from the date of commencement of operations of Bhogapuram International Airport. Once Bhogapuram receives flights, the existing airport in Visakhapatnam will be used exclusively for defence purposes

- Govt Advisor on Industries Sridhar Lanka