Amaravati, Jul 27 (PTI) The northern part of Andhra Pradesh will witness a major milestone in development with the inauguration of the nearly Rs 5,000-crore Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport at Bhogapuram in Vizianagaram district on August 1 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the government said on Monday.
Built in a “record time of 31 months,” the airport is ready to commence commercial operations and the state government views Bhogapuram Airport not merely as an infrastructure project, but as a transformational asset for the entire North Andhra region.
“North Andhra is going to witness a major milestone in development with the commissioning of the Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport at Bhogapuram in Vizianagaram district on August 1 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Built at a cost of nearly Rs 4,727 crore, the airport is ready to commence commercial operations,” an official release said.
As part of the vision to position Visakhapatnam among globally developed cities, the government has developed the airport to international standards.
Beyond serving as an aviation facility, the airport has been conceived as a catalyst for industrial growth, employment generation, exports, skill development and research, it said.
The airport is among the “fastest-completed Greenfield international airports in India – nearly five months ahead of schedule,” the release said.
It has already secured the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) aerodrome licence, along with all required safety, fire and environmental clearances.
Designed to handle six million passengers annually in the first phase, the airport also has a master plan to expand the capacity to 40 million passengers annually in the future.
The project is expected to play a pivotal role in boosting economic growth, tourism, industrial investments, exports, logistics and aerospace and defence sectors across the erstwhile Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram and Srikakulam districts.
Developed by GMR Visakhapatnam International Airport Limited (GVIAL) under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model using the Design, Build, Finance, Operate and Transfer (DBFOT) framework, the integrated project spans 2,703.26 acres.
It includes the airport in 2,203.32 acres, aviation hub (500 acres), aviation university and EduCity (136.63 acres), including comprehensive airside infrastructure, commercial development, residential zones and approach roads.
A key highlight of the airport is a 3,800-metre Code-E runway, capable of handling wide-body aircraft such as the Boeing 777, Boeing 787 Dreamliner, Airbus A330 and Airbus A340.
It is also equipped with advanced airfield lighting, navigation aids and CNS/ATM infrastructure to support both domestic and international operations.
The terminal incorporates advanced passenger processing technologies, which include contact boarding bridges, Common Use Passenger Processing System (CUPPS), self-baggage drop, self-service passenger processing, smart surveillance, access control systems, security management systems and an Integrated Operational Control and Monitoring Centre.
These facilities are aimed at enhancing passenger convenience and operational efficiency, the release said.
“Bhogapuram Airport is expected to significantly strengthen North Andhra’s export ecosystem through a 25,000 metric tonne annual capacity cargo terminal. It includes temperature-controlled cold chain facilities for transporting pharmaceuticals, marine products and other high-value perishable goods,” it said.
Integration is expected with Visakhapatnam Port, industrial corridors and logistics networks to establish Bhogapuram as a major air cargo and logistics hub on India’s east coast.
Around 30 per cent of the airport’s water requirement will be met through recycled water and it was developed as per LEED Platinum standards.
Architecturally, the terminal reflects the southern state’s cultural identity, inspired by a flying fish, symbolising the Bay of Bengal and North Andhra’s maritime heritage while the terminal incorporates traditional Rangoli into its roof and ceiling designs.
Further, the government aims to develop a 500-acre Aviation Hub adjacent to the airport as a next-generation, net-zero focused aerospace and defence ecosystem.
This project aims to attract around Rs 20,000 crore in investments and generate over 60,000 direct and 1.2 lakh indirect employment opportunities.
Likewise, an aviation university/EduCity will be developed in over 136 acres adjacent to the airport, focusing on aviation, aerospace, defence, drones and emerging technologies through education, research, innovation and skill development.
The project is expected to attract up to Rs 5,000 crore in investments, accommodate around 9,000 students and train 4,000 executive education participants annually in collaboration with leading national and international institutions and industry partners.
As part of the airport project, the Andhra Pradesh government invested Rs 1,583 crore towards enabling infrastructure, including land acquisition (Rs 944 crore), water supply (Rs 75 crore), power supply (Rs 97 crore), funded works (Rs 134 crore), connectivity roads (Rs 301 crore), road connectivity (Rs 3.25 crore) and irrigation canal works (Rs 27 crore), the release said.
The government has also developed approach roads and supporting infrastructure connecting the airport, which will significantly improve air connectivity across North Andhra, coastal Andhra and neighbouring states. PTI STH KH
This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.