Visakhapatnam: Though the state government is ready to hand over the land of the proposed greenfield international airport at Bhogapuram, there is no site clearance from the Airport Authority of India (AAI).
Without a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from AAI, the construction works of the first phase of Bhogapuram airport would not take place.
It is recalled that the GMR group got the construction bidding. The greenfield airport at Bhogapuram would come up in 2203 acres. The land was not handed over to the GMR group to date as the GMR group is wishing to take over the land with all clearances including legal. Around 50 acres of the land issue is still pending in court. There is a rule that there should not be two international airports within a distance of 150 km.
The new terminal building constructed with Rs. 70 crore by AAI is ready for inauguration now. It has spent money on various facilities in recent times including a new Taxi track and others. More than 20 lakh air travelers are using the present Vizag airport per annum. With these facilities, the present airport can handle double the traffic of the present day.
Sources in the AAI said that the organization had spent money on various facilities and getting passenger fees, and UDF fees. “It would naturally seek a share in the form of royalty from the new airport as it is losing the revenue once the present airport was shut down,’‘ the sources said. The AP Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy and Vizianagaram MP Bellana Chandra Sekhar have repeatedly requested Prime Minister, Defence Minister and also Civil Aviation minister to provide unconditional NOC to the Bhogapuram airport.
05/07/22 Siva G/Times of India
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