VIJAYAWADA: GMR Group has entered into an agreement with the Andhra Pradesh government to develop Bhogapuram International Airport near Visakhapatnam. This significant move comes a day after the State Cabinet took a decision reducing the proposed airport area to 2,200 acres from 2,700 acres as the government will take 500 acres of land for commercial purpose.
While Special Chief Secretary (Infrastructure and Investments) R Karikal Valaven signed the agreement on behalf of the State government, GMR Chairman GBS Raju inked the pact on behalf of GMR Airports Ltd. The copies of the agreement were exchanged in the presence of Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy at his camp office at Tadepalli on Friday.
Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister felt that the airport would provide good air connectivity to North Coastal Andhra. Besides laying roads to facilitate easy transportation to Visakhapatnam city from the airport, the government will also take steps to provide metro rail connectivity to the airport from Vizag city, he said.
Expressing happiness for getting the opportunity to build the airport from the place where they hail from, GMR Group representatives said that the project will be executed as a landmark as desired by the Chief Minister. “We will take the services of international firms in the venture and the project will be completed at the earliest,” they added.
Industries and Commerce Minister Mekapati Goutham Reddy, APIIC Chairperson RK Roja, Special Chief Secretary (Commercial Taxes) Rajat Bhargava, AP Airports Development Corporation Ltd (Advisor, Aviation) VN Bharath Reddy and other officials were present on the occasion.