AP Building Robust Infra Post Bifurcation

Of all the regions, north coastal Andhra Pradesh became the biggest beneficiary having green field Bhogapuram International Airport in Vizianagaram district and Mulapeta Sea Port in Srikakulam district. Both the ports have set the ball rolling for development and if Visakhapatnam was made Capital, the development would take a full swing, according to experts.

The work on Bhogapuram Airport was going on at a brisk pace and it is likely to be completed by December next year. According to the management, the first flight might land on August 26.

Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy laid the foundation stone for the airport on May 3 last year and so far 25 percent of the work has been completed. In the first phase, the airport will serve 6 million passengers per annum and in the second phase, 12 million and in the third phase, 18 million passengers will be served. The present Visakhapatnam Airport has a capacity of 3.8 million passengers. At present, 2.8 million passengers use the airport.

GMR Visakhapatnam International Airport Ltd signed the concessional agreement to develop, operate and maintain Bhogapuram International Airport with Andhra Pradesh Airport Development Corporation Ltd. The project, being built at a cost of Rs4,592 crore for the phase 1, is one of the most ambitious projects of Jagan Mohan Reddy and a growth engine for rapid development of the state, a local YSRC leader said.

The work on Mulapeta Seaport in Srikakulam district is also going on at an impressive speed. Minister for Animal Husbandry Dr Seediri Appala Raju, who inspected the works recently, said the first cargo ship would arrive this September.

Jagan Mohan Reddy laid the foundation for the port in April last year and the port, in the first phase, would have three general cargo berths and a bulk cargo terminal. It will initially have a handling capacity of 23.53 million tonnes. Infrastructure will be developed in an area of 500 acres.

The port will handle general cargo, coal, multipurpose containers and other exports and imports with a capacity of 23.5 million tonnes per annum in the initial stages. Simultaneously, the work is going on at Ramayapatnam Port and the first phase is expected to be completed in September this year. Similarly, the work on Rs2,123-crore Kakinada SEZ Port development project, phase I of Rs5,155-crore Machilipatnam Port development project in Krishna district are underway.

In addition to Bhogapuram airport in Vizianagaram district, green field airports were also coming up at Dagarathi in Nellore district and Orvakal in Kurnool district. “With the completion of airports and sea ports, Visakhapatnam as the executive capital will become gateway in the east for the Asian countries,’’ Minister for Education remarked.