VIZIANAGARAM: The State government is likely to lay the foundation stone for Bhogapuram Greenfield Airport likely in March.Works at the rehabilitation colonies in Gudepuvalasa and Lingalavalasa villages with necessary amenities, including roads, drains, overhead water tanks, electrification, community buildings, Anganwadi centres, primary schools and parks, have been completed. Compensation has been paid to 376 families from Rellipeta, Mudasarlapeta, Bollinkalapalem and Maradapalem villages and they are gradually shifting to their new houses in the two rehabilitation centres.
It may be recalled that a greenfield airport at Bhogapuram, 40 km from Visakhapatnam, was proposed after bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh in 2014. The then TDP-government had initiated the process for land acquisition in an extent of 2,700 acres and handed it over to the GMR Group.
Though Naidu laid the stone for the airport in 2019, works were stopped due to legal hurdles pertaining to land acquisition. Subsequently, the YSRC government led by YS Jagan Mohan Reddy resumed the process with new alignment for the airport in 2,200 acres.The government also finalised tenders for GMR Visakhapatnam International Airport Limited (GVIAL) to take up construction under public private partnership (PPP) mode.
Following this, Vizianagaram district administration swung into action to complete land acquisition and hand it over to GVIAL at the earliest.Vizianagaram revenue divisional officer (RDO) R Surya Kala said, “We have identified 376 displaced families from Rellipeta, Mudasarlapeta, Bollinkalapalem and Maradapalem villages. We have allotted five cents land to each of them at Lingalavalasa and Gudepuvalasa rehabilitation colony and paid Rs 9.20 lakh as per the Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act. We have sent proposals to the government for another 21 R&R packages as per their request. We have developed the R&R colonies with all amenities like a model village. All families are vacating their houses voluntarily and shifting to the R&R colonies. We have arranged free vehicles for them to shift their luggage. Collector A Suryakumari has given directions to the district water management agency (DWMA) officials to map MGNREGS job cards of the displaced families to the new location so that they can get employment at their new location.”
Yerramsetti Appalaraju of Gudepuvalasa, said, “I have received my package and five cents in Gudepuvalasa. I shifted to the R&R colony four days ago. Revenue officials have also arranged free transportation. All the amenities are good in the colony. Collector has assured to provide MGNREGS work in new location.”