Bhogapuram airport will change face of North Andhra: AP CM

Bhogapuram: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy on Wednesday said Bhogapuram International Airport will not only spur growth but also change the industrial and tourism landscape of North Andhra.

While laying the foundation stone for the project in Bhogapuram mandal in Vizianagaram district in the presence of GMR Group Chairman Grandhi Mallikarjuna Rao, he said unlike the erstwhile TDP Government, they are kick-starting work on the project after obtaining all the clearances.

He announced that aerocity will come up near the airport in an area of 500 acres. The Chief Minister also disclosed that he was in touch with Union Minister for Road Transport and Highway Nitin Gadkari and the foundation stone for the six-lane expressway connecting Visakhapatnam with Bhogapuram will be launched at a cost of Rs 6,300 crore in next four months.

Reddy said the Bhogapuram Airport will have two 3.8 km-long runways to handle wide bodied aircraft like A-380. He said the airport will have seven aerobridges, Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facility, aviation academy and dedicated cargo evacuation.

The airport will be built by GMR Airports Infrastructure Ltd (GAIL), one of the leading airport developers globally. The construction of the airport will generate about six lakh direct and indirect employment opportunities, provide improved connectivity, attract investments from businesses and industries from across the world, create opportunities for tourism and contribute to the overall development of the region, according to GMR Group officials.