Visakhapatnam: Bhogapuram airport foundation post polls

Visakhapatnam: The government will lay the foundation for the proposed greenfield international airport at Bhogapuram after the panchayat elections. A series of review meetings have been held focussing on the construction of the international airport.

It may be recalled that CM YS Jagan Mohan Reddy and industries minister M Gautham Reddy during their recent visits to Vizianagaram district stated that the construction of the airport would start soon. The proposed airport will be 45 kilometres away from Vizag city, 25 kilometres away from Vizianagaram and 58 kilometres from Srikakulam district in the north Andhra region.

Authorities are also making efforts to speed up construction activities to rehabilitate those displaced as the government planned to acquire 2,700 acres for the construction of the airport.

According to sources, 2,200 acres would be given for construction of the airport while the government would keep 500 acres for future needs. “We have already acquired 2,342 acres…of the remaining 361 acres, farmers of 123 acres approached the court and demanded the government to pay compensation at present rates,’ one of the officials involved in the land acquisition process said.