Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport (also known as Bhogapuram Airport) is an international airport and a greenfield airport under construction at Bhogapuram in the Vizianagaram district. The airport is operated by GMR Visakhapatnam International Airport Limited. The airport is named after Indian Independence revolutionary and freedom fighter Alluri Sitarama Raju.[1]
Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport | |||||||||||
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 Construction status as of September 2024 | |||||||||||
| Summary | |||||||||||
| Airport type | Public | ||||||||||
| Owner/Operator | Andhra Pradesh Airports Development Corporation GMR Visakhapatnam International Airport Limited | ||||||||||
| Serves | Visakhapatnam | ||||||||||
| Location | Bhogapuram, Vizianagaram district, Andhra Pradesh, India | ||||||||||
| Elevation AMSL | 59.00 ft / 18.00 m | ||||||||||
| Coordinates | 17°58′34″N 083°30′14″E / 17.97611°N 83.50389°E | ||||||||||
| Website | Visakhapatnam Airport | ||||||||||
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| Runways | |||||||||||
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Cat I C ILS | |||||||||||
The project site is 44 km away from Visakhapatnam, 23 km away from Vizianagaram and 64 km away from Srikakulam. The airport majorly serves the North Andhra & South Odisha districts and is expected as a major hub of connectivity and employment in the region. The proposed airport is connected by National Highway 16, National Highway 26 currently and also through Vizag beach corridor and Vizag metro in the future. While APSRTC plans to run connecting buses to nearby cities, Vizianagaram junction is the nearest railway station at a distance of 26 km.
Currently, one 3800m long runway of 10/28 orientation is being constructed along with MRO facilities.
Timeline
editPlanning (2015–2018)
editThe current airport serving Vishakhapatnam is a civil enclave at INS Dega, a naval air station of the Indian Navy which operates only limited international flights due to its status as a "restricted international airport". Anticipating an increase in military aircraft traffic the near future, linked to the basing of the aircraft carrier INS Vikrant in the vicinity of the airfield, the Indian navy stated that it is unable to allocate more slots for commercial flights at the airport.[2][3]
A Greenfield airport for the city was planned during the N. Chandrababu Naidu government in 1997 under the Andhra Pradesh state. Alternate sites like Sabbavaram, Achyutapuram and Koruprolu were also considered.[4] The Airports Authority of India (AAI) gave its technical approval of the project site in June 2015.[5] The request for proposals (RFP) for the project was issued in July 2016, and AAI and the GMR Group submitted their technical and financial bids in August 2017.[6]
Pre-construction (2019–2022)
editThe airport's foundation stone was laid by the then Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh N. Chandrababu Naidu on 14 February 2019,[7][8][9][10] with initial plans to develop the mega aerotropolis on an estimated 5,311 acres of land, consisting of Bhogapuram Airport, cargo facilities, an MRO (maintenance, repair and overhaul) facility and an aviation academy. As of March 2016, the government had only acquired 2,703 acres of land because of land agitation from locals,[11] including 1,673 acres of government land allotted for the project.[12]
The project received 'in-principle approval' in September 2016. The airport was to be developed by the government of Andhra Pradesh under a public–private partnership (PPP) basis.[13] A pre-bid meeting was held in August 2018, for which 13 developers showed interest in developing this airport. The government finally approved the GMR Group,[14] which was also operating airports at New Delhi and Hyderabad.
However, the successive YSRCP government fixed 2,200 acres to GMR Group and reduced the land for the purpose while keeping aside 500 acres of land under the state government.[12] The airport would be constructed on a final 2,200-acre site in and around Bhogapuram that serves the city of Visakhapatnam. It would be built by GMR Visakhapatnam International Airport Limited (GVIAL), a Special Purpose Entity (SPE) owned by the GMR Group that was set up in June 2020.[15] The project would be taken up in the PPP mode with the state holding a stake in the form of land holdings.[16]
In September 2022, Indian Navy officials agreed to move the Visakhapatnam Airport to Bhogapuram. Regarding this, Indian Navy and Andhra Pradesh Airports Development Corporation Limited (APADCL) officials has signed a MOU in New Delhi. On the other hand, only 28 more acres have to be collected for construction in Bhogapuram. The trial in the court cases on this issue has been completed and the verdict is in reserve.[17][18]
Construction (2023–present)
editThe construction begins, the project is expected to be completed by December 2025. The project is planned to be developed in 3-phased manner. Upon completion of Phase 1, the terminal handling capacity is expected to be 6.3 million passengers per year, and is further expected to rise to 12 million passengers per year upon completion of Phase 2. By the completion of the phase 3, the total passenger capacity is expected to touch 18 million passengers per year.[19] The phase 1 is estimated at a cost of ₹4,592 crore (US$550 million).[20][21]
In May 2024, news reports suggested that the airport construction will be completed within 18 months. Many infrastructure projects are being developed for connectivity between Visakhapatnam and the airport.[22] The land for the project was acquired from the farmers a few years back and the project is delayed due to the compensation issues that were settled in the court. About 450 families were relocated to a new settlement called airport colony.[23]
The airport was officially renamed to the current name in September 2024 by the Fourth N. Chandrababu Naidu ministry.[24][25]
TATA group announced they will be making 20 hotels near the airport and sought land from the district administration.[26]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "AP cabinet approves new liquor policy, renaming airport". The Siasat Daily. 18 September 2024. Retrieved 18 September 2024.
- ^ "No more flight slots at Vizag airport: Navy". The Times of India. 22 December 2022. Retrieved 22 September 2024.
- ^ "Green Nod to Rs 2000 Crore Bhogapuram International Airport project in Andhra Pradesh". NDTV. 21 August 2017. Retrieved 28 September 2022.
- ^ Balarama Krishna, R. V.; Durga Rani, K.; Gopala Raju, S. S. S. V. (2012). "Site suitability study for an International Airport in Visakhapatnam". Indian Journal of Education and Information Management. 1 (5): 203–206. ISSN 2277-5374 – via i-Scholar.
- ^ "NAAI nod for Bhogapuram Airport Plan, says Minister". The Hindu. 23 June 2015. Retrieved 23 June 2015.
- ^ "Airports Authority of India, GMR in race to bag Bhogapuram airport project". The Times of India. 20 August 2017. Retrieved 21 August 2017.
- ^ "Chief minister Chandrababu laid Foundation stone for Bhogapuram International Airport near Vizag". www.thenewsminute.com. 15 February 2019. Retrieved 18 April 2020.
- ^ "Foundation stone laid for Bhogapuram Airport near Visakhapatnam". Vizag -. 15 February 2019. Retrieved 18 April 2020.
- ^ Rao, K. Srinivasa (5 November 2022). "Andhra Pradesh government gearing up to lay foundation stone for Bhogapuram international airport". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 15 April 2023.
- ^ Talari, Yadedya (15 February 2019). "CM Chandrababu Naidu lays foundation stone for Bhogapuram airport". www.thehansindia.com. Retrieved 15 April 2023.
- ^ "Bhogapuram: suitable package for ryots being evolved, says C.M." The Hindu. 1 September 2015.
- ^ a b "Cabinet fixes 2,200 acres of land for Bhogapuram airport project". The New Indian Express. 5 March 2020. Retrieved 16 April 2020.
- ^ "Andhra Pradesh: Govt panel clears three new airports in Andhra Pradesh | Delhi News - Times of India". The Times of India. 26 September 2016.
- ^ "GMR bags the bid to build Bhogapuram airport in Vizag". Vizag -. 27 February 2019. Retrieved 16 April 2020.
- ^ "Andhra Pradesh government drops aerotropolis in Vizag,airport alone to be built". Economic Times.
- ^ "AP plans aerotropolis at Bhogapuram". The Times of India. 14 March 2015. Retrieved 23 June 2015.
- ^ "Bhogapuram Airport to start soon". Eenadu. 5 September 2022. Retrieved 28 September 2022.
- ^ "Top priority to early completion of land acquisition for Bhogapuram Airport at Bhogapuram". The Hindu. 20 September 2022. Retrieved 28 September 2022.
- ^ "The first phase of the development of Bhogapuram International Greenfield Airport set in motion". pib.gov.in. Retrieved 15 May 2023.
- ^ www.ETTravelWorld.com. "Bhogapuram Airport begins 1st phase development, to serve 6 mn passengers - ET TravelWorld". ETTravelWorld.com. Retrieved 15 May 2023.
- ^ "GMR Group to invest Rs 5,000 cr on Bhogapuram Airport in Andhra Pradesh: GM Rao". The Economic Times. 3 March 2023. ISSN 0013-0389. Retrieved 15 May 2023.
- ^ "Andhra's Bhogapuram airport's ongoing rapid progress! Know about the project's cost, features and the future of Vizag airport - Airlines/Aviation News | The Financial Express". www.financialexpress.com. 7 May 2024. Retrieved 13 May 2024.
- ^ "Andhra's Bhogapuram airport's ongoing rapid progress! Know about the project's cost, features and the future of Vizag airport". Financialexpress. 7 May 2024. Retrieved 25 May 2024.
- ^ Ilyas, M. D. (19 September 2024). "AP Cabinet Approves New Liquor Policy, 10% Shops to Kallu Geethas". www.deccanchronicle.com. Retrieved 19 September 2024.
- ^ "'Bhogapuram Airport will be opened six months before scheduled construction'". The Times of India. 19 September 2024. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 19 September 2024.
- ^ Rao, K. Srinivasa (12 November 2024). "Star hotels, resorts likely to come up near Bhogapuram international airport". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 25 November 2024.