L&T to construct Bhogapuram International Airport

Visakhapatnam: L&T Construction on Monday announced that it bagged the order for engineering, procurement and construction of the Bhogapuram international airport, about 30 km from Visakhapatnam.

The airport is being developed by GMR Visakhapatnam International Airport Ltd (GVIAL). The works for Bhogapuram Greenfield International Airport, for which Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy had laid the foundation stone on May 3, started on November 1.

In a regulatory filing, L&T said that the project will be developed to handle 6 million passengers per annum. This capacity will later be enhanced to 12 million passengers.

The company is working on construction projects for the airports in Delhi, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Chennai and Navi Mumbai.

The key development works include cut and fill works, terminal works with airport systems, air traffic control (ATC) tower, airfield development works (south runway 3,800 m length, apron, taxiways, airfield ground lighting, fuel hydrant works and other facilities), landside facilities (roads and  landscapes), utilities and other support facilities.

The '4,592-crore airport will be developed in three phases. In the first phase, the airport will serve six million passengers per annum (MPPA). The total capacity will be increased to 18 MPPA in the next two phases.

According to sources, the rehabilitation and relief process has been fully completed and the EPC bid was finalised. Required funds were sanctioned from all participating financial institutions and banks.

The airport will be developed on 2,203.26 acres of land with a Category-1 enabled runway, and will have a cargo terminal in 5,000 sq.m. The airport is being seen as a growth engine for the development of the state and it would play a key role in enhancing the tourism sector in the North Andhra region.

The memorandum of understanding between the ministry of civil aviation and GMR Visakhapatnam International Airport Ltd (GVIAL) was signed on March 10.