Hans News Service Vijayawada

Thestate government on Thursday said the upcoming inauguration of the Bhogapuram International Airport will mark a major milestone in the state’s infrastructure development and is expected to accelerate economic growth, investment, tourism and employment opportunities in north Andhra.

In a statement, the government said the project, to be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on August 1, Saturday, is the realisation of a vision conceived more than a decade ago by Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu to meet the region’s future aviation and infrastructure needs.

According to the government, the airport, located near Visakhapatnam, is expected to transform the Visakhapatnam-Bhogapuram corridor into a major investment destination on India’s east coast. It said the region is likely to attract investments in information technology, manufacturing, logistics, tourism, healthcare and hospitality.

It said a world-class Aerocity is planned around the airport, featuring IT and ITES parks, industrial parks, logistics hubs, warehousing and cold storage facilities, business centres, retail and commercial complexes, convention centres, educational institutions, corporate hospitals and star hotels. It added that industry estimates suggest these developments could attract private investments worth thousands of crores of rupees over the next decade.

The statement said the airport’s connectivity with Visakhapatnam Port, Gangavaram Port, national highways and the railway network would strengthen North Andhra’s logistics ecosystem by improving cargo movement and reducing transportation costs. This, it said, would support exports of pharmaceuticals, marine products, agricultural and horticultural produce, fresh fruits, flowers, handicrafts and electronics.

Improved air connectivity is expected to boost tourism by providing easier access to destinations such as Visakhapatnam beaches, Araku Valley, Borra Caves, Bheemunipatnam, Yarada Beach, Kailasagiri, Thotlakonda, Bavikonda and the Simhachalam temple. It said the increased tourist flow would benefit hotels, resorts, transport operators, travel agencies, restaurants and local artisans. The airport project is expected to create significant employment opportunities. Besides direct jobs in airport operations, ground handling, cargo services, aviation engineering, maintenance, security and air traffic management, it said indirect employment would be generated in hospitality, tourism, logistics, retail, warehousing, transport and event management.

According to the government, the airport is being developed over about 2,200 acres at an estimated Phase-I cost of Rs 4,500 crore to Rs 5,000 crore. It said the airport will initially have the capacity to handle six million passengers annually, with future expansion planned to increase capacity to 18 million passengers.

Describing the project as a landmark in Andhra Pradesh’s development journey, the government said the Bhogapuram International Airport would strengthen the state’s global connectivity, attract investments, promote industrial growth, boost exports and tourism, and contribute to its vision of building a prosperous and investment-friendly ‘Swarna Andhra.