Bhogapuram Cargo Terminal Set for Launch by August-September
With the much-anticipated Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport at Bhogapuram all set to throw open its doors in July, the spotlight is now on the airport’s dedicated cargo terminal, which is racing towards completion with an August-September operational debut on the cards.
Warehouse works, which form the nerve centre of the cargo facility, are in their final lap. Over 98 per cent of the airport’s infrastructure is already in place, and sources close to the project confirmed on Monday that the terminal would swing into action close on the heels of the airport’s first commercial flights.
The terminal, built across nearly 5,000 square metres, is equipped to process around 25,000 metric tonnes of freight every year during its initial phase — a facility that officials believe will put Visakhapatnam firmly on the air logistics map of the country.
From life-saving drugs to fresh catch from the sea, the terminal is designed to handle it all — pharmaceuticals, perishables, seafood, textiles, engineering goods, electronics and e-commerce consignments. Planners have made cold-chain infrastructure a top priority, recognising the twin demands of the region’s pharmaceutical sector and its robust marine export trade.
The move has been long overdue, according to trade bodies. North Andhra has for years lacked dedicated air cargo connectivity — a gap that has quietly cost local exporters dearly. With Visakhapatnam being a major source of India’s shrimp exports to the United States, temperature-controlled air freight is not a luxury but a necessity for the region’s fishing and aquaculture communities.
The Visakhapatnam Metropolitan Region Development Authority is pushing hard to deliver the trumpet interchange — the crucial road connector between the airport and National Highway 16 — before the end of June, ensuring the airport is accessible and cargo-ready well before its inauguration day.
The Bhogapuram cargo hub is poised to give a fresh edge to Andhra Pradesh’s export ambitions at a time when the Visakhapatnam corridor is witnessing a steady influx of industrial capital. The state, which already accounts for 4.4 per cent of India’s total exports and sends over 2,100 commodities to roughly 194 countries, is looking to the new facility to push those numbers higher.
The terminal is also expected to serve as a logistics backbone for a host of marquee investments lined up in the region — including data centre projects by Google and Reliance Industries Limited, and green energy and manufacturing ventures by ArcelorMittal and NTPC Limited.