Master Plan Roads to Bhogapuram Airport Lag Behind Schedule
The much-awaited master plan roads connecting Visakhapatnam to the under-construction Bhogapuram Greenfield Airport are progressing at a snail’s pace. Officials from the Visakhapatnam Metropolitan Region Development Authority (VMRDA) cite land acquisition and coordination issues as major reasons for the delay.
The VMRDA aimed to complete the key stretches before the airport’s scheduled launch in June of the following year. But with multiple sections still unfinished, the goal looks increasingly uncertain.
“A year ago, we announced plans for 15 new roads to ease traffic to the airport,” said a senior VMRDA official. “Due to resource and clearance challenges, we prioritized seven road projects spanning 26.72 km at Rs. 175 crore.”
These projects involve coordination among GVMC, Roads & Buildings, and Panchayat Raj departments. However, acquiring 75 acres of land remains the toughest hurdle. Officials said compensation options include cash payments, alternative sites, and Transferable Development Rights (TDR). Still, only 300 out of nearly 700 landowners have agreed so far—and just one has completed the formal consent process.
On the ground, progress has been minimal. “So far, only vegetation clearance and initial foundation work have been done. Not one road stretch is fully ready,” the official confirmed.
Here are the seven stretches currently under work:
- 8 km road from Adivivaram BRTS Junction to Gandigundam (Rs. 40 crore), awaiting forest clearance
- 2.2 km road from Anandapuram NH to Gambhiram Reservoir
- 1.7 km widening from Shivshakti Nagar to Vuda Haritha Project, GVMC Ward 18 (Rs. 7.65 crore)
- 1.4 km widening from Paradeshipalem to Gambhiram (Rs. 5.04 crore)
- 3.83 km road from Nerallavalasa to Tallavalasa (Rs. 24 crore)
- 3 km widening from Boyapalem Junction to Kapuluppada (Rs. 15 crore)
- 6.32 km stretch from Chippada to Polipilli (Rs. 37.92 crore), developed with support from Divis management
“With multiple departments involved and several land issues unresolved, the project is unlikely to meet its pre-airport-deadline,” the official said. “We’re racing against time as the inauguration date approaches.”