VISHAKAPATNAM: Sribharat, Member of Parliament for Visakhapatnam, has directed officials to expedite road connectivity works to the upcoming Bhogapuram International Airport ahead of its commencement of operations.
He issued the direction during a review meeting held at the office of the Visakhapatnam Metropolitan Region Development Authority on Monday. Kalisetti Appalanaidu, Member of Parliament for Vizianagaram, also attended the meeting.
The meeting reviewed the existing road network included in the VMRDA Master Plan and examined expert recommendations on proposed road connectivity to Bhogapuram Airport.
Speaking at the meeting, Sribharat said the current Visakhapatnam Airport handles around six million passengers annually. He said the Bhogapuram airport must be planned with a long-term approach to accommodate up to 40 million passengers in the future.
He called for clarity in planning based on projected population growth and future demand. He said the proposed road infrastructure should ensure smooth connectivity to the airport without affecting regular traffic on the National Highway.
The aim, he said, is to enable timely travel for air passengers while maintaining steady movement for other road users.
He also underlined the need to secure the consent and cooperation of residents during road expansion works to avoid disputes.
The District Collectors of Visakhapatnam and Vizianagaram, public representatives, and officials from the Navy, Forest and Revenue departments, the National Highways Authority, VMRDA and other departments were present at the meeting on Monday.