Bhogapuram Airport

Bhogapuram Airport is a new international airport construction project for the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu announced the development in Feb-2015. The airport will be located in the town of Bhogapuram and will serve the wider Vizianagaram and Srikakulam districts. Construction commenced on 14-Feb-2019.

May-2024. Bhogapuram Airport reportedly is on track to commence operations in Dec-2025.

Dec-2023. GMR Airports executed a INR32.15 billion (USD385.32 million) financing agreement with a consortium comprising five banks and financial institutions lead by India Infrastructure Finance Company, to part finance the first phase of development for Bhogapuram Airport. 

Oct-2023. Larsen & Toubro secured an engineering, procurement and construction contract from GMR Visakhapatnam International Airport Limited to develop Bhogapuram Airport. The contract includes works to develop a 3800m runway, a passenger terminal and an air traffic control tower. Bhogapuram Airport will be equipped to accommodate up to six million passengers p/a initially and later expanded to handle up to 12 million passengers p/a.

May-2023. Andhra Pradesh's Chief Minister Yeduguri Sandinti Jagan Mohan Reddy announced he inaugurated works to develop Bhogapuram Airport on 03-May-2023. The airport is expected to be completed within 24 to 30 months, with the project requiring an estimated investment of INR45.9 billion (USD562 million). 

Jan-2023. GMR Group chairman Grandhi Mallikarjuna Rao reported works to develop Bhogapuram Airport are expected to commence within the next five months, as the land acquisition process for the project is almost completed.

Apr-2021. GMR Airports aims to commence works to develop Bhogapuram Airport in May-2021.

Jun-2020.

12-Jun-2020. Andhra Pradesh's Government reportedly reduced its land allocation to GMR Airports for the development of Bhogapuram Airport from 2700 acres to 2200 acres.

15-Jun-2020. GMR Airports signed a concession agreement with Andhra Pradesh's government to develop and operate Bhogapuram Airport under a 40 year contract. 

Apr-2020. GMR Airports received a Letter of Award (LoA) for a contract to develop and operate Bhogapuram Airport. The contract covers a 40 year term, with the option to extend for an additional 20 years.

Feb-2019. Andhra Pradesh's Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu will lay the foundation stone for the Bhogapuram Airport development project on 14-Feb-2019. The airport development project will require an estimated investment of INR42.1 billion (USD593.4 million) and phase one construction works are expected to be completed by Dec-2020.

Nov-2018. The Andhra Pradesh Government aims to commence works to develop Bhogapuram Airport in 2019. The state government expects phase one of the airport development project to be completed by Dec-2020.

Jul-2018. Andhra Pradesh Airports Development Corporation Limited (APADCL) increased the estimated investment required for the development of Bhogapuram Airport from INR23 billion (USD333.7 million) to INR42.1 billion (USD610.1 million) in its recently issued RFP for the airport construction project.

Nov-2017. India's Union Minister of Civil Aviation P Ashok Gajapathi Raju stated Bhogapuram Airport is expected to commence operation within four years. Mr Raju reported Vizianagaram district has acquired 80% of the land required for the airport development project and has accelerated the acquisition process for the remaining 250 acres.

Aug-2017. Airports Authority of India (AAI) and GMR Group submitted bids to the Andhra Pradesh State Government for a contract to establish Bhogapuram Airport. GVK Power & Infrastructure Ltd informed the state government it no longer plans to participate in the new airport development project tender process.

Apr-2017. India's Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) provided environmental clearance for the construction of Bhogapuram International Airport. The proposed greenfield airport site lies on the border of Visakhapatnam and Vizianagaram districts, around 45km from Visakhapatnam. The airport is proposed to be developed as a PPP project under a Design, Build, Finance, Operate and Transfer (DBFOT) concession framework, with a total investment of around INR22.6 billion (USD351.8 million). Andhra Pradesh Government has created a special purpose vehicle Bhogapuram International Airport Corporation Ltd for the project. EAC said: "The committee noted that issues raised in the public hearing have satisfactorily been responded by the project authority and suggested to incorporate it in the final EIA-EMP report... After detailed deliberations, the committee recommended the project for environmental clearance.

Apr-2017. Bhogapuram International Airport’s development has been delayed due to stalled progress of a nearby residential housing complex. The airport's development includes 2558 acres of land and will feature facilities capable of handling A380 services.

Mar-2017. India's Minister of State for Civil Aviation Jayant Sinha estimated expenditure for the construction of Bhogapuram Airport is approximately INR22.6 billion (USD346 million). The government granted 'in principle' approval to Bhogapuram International Airport Corporation Limited (BIACL) for the establishment of Bhogapuram International Greenfield Airport for public use in Oct-2016. 

Nov-2016. Andrah Pradesh Government advised "almost 82%" of land has been acquired for the Bhogapuram Airport project.. Environmental clearance "will be submitted to the PCB by the first week of Dec-2016" once it is completed, according to the Andrah Pradesh Government. Infrastructure majors GMR, GVK, Adani Ports, Essel Infra, Tata and Airports Authority of India have shown interest with the airport development project.

Sep-2016.

27-Sep-2016. India's committee on greenfield airports headed by the Secretary, Government of India and Ministry of Civil Aviation announced four new airport project approvals. In principal approval granted to three projects in Andhra Pradesh for Bhogapuram Airport, Nellore Airport and Oravakal Airport; site clearance has been recommended for Kothagudem Airport project in Telangana State.

19-Sep-2016. India's Andrah Pradesh Government hopes to finalise a developer for the Bhogapuram Airport project by Jan-2017. Land acquisition is expected to be completed by Dec-2016 with the Vizianagaram district administration. Phase one is expected to cost INR27.2 billion (USD406 million) with a terminal handling capacity of 6.3 million passenger p/a upon completion. Phase two is expected to cost INR18 billion (USD269 million) with a terminal handling capacity of 18 million passengers p/a upon completion.

Aug-2016. GMR Group chairman Grandhi Mallikarjuna Rao handed over 23 acres of land in Bhogapuram Mandal to district collector Vivek Yadav for the airport development project by Bhogapuram International Airport Company Ltd (BIACL).

Jun-2016. Bhogapuram International Airport Company Limited (BIACL) secured a INR6.5 billion (USD97 million) loan from Andhra Pradesh state finance department, HUDCO, to commence first phase of land acquisition, equivalent to 2400 acres for the airport development project. HUDCO will release the funds to BIACL within 10 to 15 days. Land acquisition process is expected to complete by the end of 2016, allowing construction work to commence in 2017.

Apr-2016. India's Ministry of Environment and Forests Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) cleared the terms of reference to develop an international airport at Bhogapuram in Andhra Pradesh. The Ministry introduced standard terms of reference in Apr-2015 to accelerate the green impact studies process.

Jan-2016. India’s Andhra Pradesh State Government was ordered to halt the land acquisition process from landowners for the proposed Bhogapuram Airport development project, according to Hyderabad High Court. The high court declared a halt in the process until further notice. Andhra Pradesh State Government is currently in the process of acquiring 5311 acres for the greenfield airport development project from landowners, for which the state government had already issued notifications to landowners on 31-Aug-2015. The announcement was followed by a number of petitions signed by landowners in Bhogapuram.

Dec-2015. India's Civil Aviation Ministry has reportedly given site clearance for Bhogapuram Airport. The airport, which is being opposed by the locals, has already received necessary clearances from the Defence Ministry.

Oct-2015. Bhogapuram Airport received approval from Andhra Pradesh's Government to seek INR15 billion (USD231 million) in loans to cover pre-development, land acquisition and infrastructure development. The Government also appointed Secretary of Energy, Infrastructure and Investments Ajay Jain as Bhogapuram International Airport Corporation (BIAC) chairman. BIAC intends to appoint a permanent MD and expects to receive site clearance from the Government within one month.

Sep-2015. India's Andhra Pradesh State Government approved an additional INR100 million (USD1.5 million) payment for the acquisition of land for the planned Bhogapuram aerotropolis and related Bhogapuram International Airport.

Sep-2015. Andhra Pradesh's Government issued a notification of its plans to acquire more than 5000 acres for construction of Bhogapuram Airport. Land to be acquired for the project was reduced from 15,000 acres in response to protests by local landowners.

Jun-2015. India's Government awarded technical approval for the Bhogapuram Airport project. The airport will be constructed on a 5040 acre site, comprising 3873 acres acquired from private land holders and 1167 acres of government land. The project will require relocation of 10,241 residents.

May-2015. 

21-May-2015. Andhra Pradesh's Government created Bhogapuram International Airport Company, a wholly-owned special-purchase vehicle for the development of Bhogapuram Airport. The company will have authorised share capital of INR500 million (USD7.9 million) and will be tasked with securing approval for land acquisition and preparing a feasibility study, project report, impact assessment, technical viability report and financial viability report for the project. Following the preparatory phase, the Government will divest a stake in the company to a developer through a bidding process.

04-May-2015. Andhra Pradesh's Government is considering reducing land acquisition for the Bhogapuram Airport project in response to resistance from local landowners. The Government may reduce the amount of land to be acquired from 15,000 to 6000 acres.

Apr-2015. India's Minister for Civil Aviation Pusapati Ashok Gajapati Raju said Andhra Pradesh's Government would acquire 15,000 acres for the Bhogapuram Airport project. The project will include airfreight facilities and cargo infrastructure.