Bhogapuram International Airport: From Land Acquisition to Construction – The Complete Timeline
Bhogapuram International Greenfield Airport has emerged as yet another project caught in Andhra Pradesh's political credit war. While the Chandrababu Naidu-led coalition government is aggressively projecting the airport as its achievement, official records paint a different picture. They show that the project gained real momentum during the YS Jagan Mohan Reddy government, which pushed through crucial land acquisition, secured statutory clearances, completed rehabilitation and resettlement of displaced families, and laid the foundation for construction. Despite these documented milestones, the coalition government continues to claim credit for a project whose most critical groundwork was completed during the previous YSRCP regime.
Foundation Stone Laid in May 2023
On May 3, 2023, then Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy formally laid the foundation stone for the Bhogapuram International Greenfield Airport, marking a major milestone in the long-pending infrastructure project.
The state government said it adopted a three-pronged strategy to bring the project to fruition. This included completing the acquisition of 2,751 acres of land, providing enhanced compensation and rehabilitation packages to affected farmers and displaced families, and securing all mandatory legal and environmental clearances.
The process also involved obtaining approvals from the Centre through regular consultations with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union ministers. Authorities stated that overcoming legal hurdles and securing the necessary permissions took nearly four years. With the approval process completed, the objective was to finish construction within two years and commence full-fledged flight operations in the third year.
During the foundation ceremony, the government also unveiled the conceptual design of the proposed international airport.
Bhogapuram Airport Progress Under YS Jagan Regime
The Bhogapuram airport has since become a politically contested project, with TDP illegally claiming credit for its development.
YSRCP leaders argue that while the substantial progress of Bhogapuram Airport — including land acquisition, compensation, legal clearances and project execution — was achieved during the YS Jagan Mohan Reddy administration.
Project Proposal Dates Back to 2015
The proposal to establish a new international airport at Bhogapuram first emerged in 2015, primarily because the existing Visakhapatnam Airport was considered inadequate for meeting future aviation and expansion requirements.
The then TDP government initiated the land acquisition process, initially proposing to acquire around 15,000 acres. The announcement triggered widespread protests from farmers in Bhogapuram mandal, forcing the government to scale down the acquisition plan to approximately 5,000 acres.
The government announced compensation of ₹12.5 lakh per acre, but farmers objected to the package, particularly because assigned lands were reportedly excluded from equal compensation. The protests intensified in August 2015, and several affected landowners approached the Andhra Pradesh High Court challenging the acquisition process.
With litigation still pending, the 2019 Assembly elections approached. According to the report, issues relating to compensation and rehabilitation of displaced families remained unresolved. Nevertheless, the then Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu laid the foundation stone for the airport on February 14, 2019, a move that drew criticism from political opponents.
Land Acquisition and Clearances Accelerated Under YSRCP
Ever since YS Jagan became the CM, the YSRCP government intensified efforts to secure statutory approvals for the airport while simultaneously addressing concerns raised by farmers.
Following technical assessments, the government concluded that 2,750.78 acres would be sufficient for the airport and related infrastructure instead of the earlier larger acquisition proposal.
Compensation was substantially revised, with landowners reportedly receiving between ₹28 lakh and ₹36 lakh per acre, depending on the nature of the land. Importantly, compensation for assigned lands was brought on par with that offered for patta (private ownership) lands.
Farmers Withdraw Legal Cases
The report credits discussions led by senior YSRCP leaders, including Botsa Satyanarayana, Majji Srinivasa Rao, Baddukonda Appala Naidu, and Bhogapuram leader Uppada Suryanarayana Reddy, for persuading many farmers to support the project.
As a result, several petitioners withdrew their cases, while the remaining legal challenges were resolved by the Andhra Pradesh High Court, the Supreme Court, and the National Green Tribunal (NGT).
Rehabilitation Package for Displaced Families
The government also announced a rehabilitation programme for families displaced by the project.
404 families from four villages received rehabilitation benefits. Two modern residential colonies were developed for them at an estimated cost of around ₹80 crore, with the government stating that the townships were equipped with improved civic infrastructure.
Airport Construction Entrusted to GMR Group
The Andhra Pradesh government reportedly spent around ₹790 crore on acquiring the land required for the airport and subsequently transferred the 2,750-acre land parcel to the Andhra Pradesh Airports Development Corporation (APADCL).
Of this, 2,203 acres were officially notified for airport construction through government orders.
The responsibility for developing the Bhogapuram International Greenfield Airport has been entrusted to the GMR Group, headed by noted industrialist Grandhi Mallikarjuna Rao, a native of the Rajam region of Vizianagaram district.
Project Enters Construction Phase
With land acquisition completed, legal disputes resolved, rehabilitation packages implemented, and statutory approvals secured, the Bhogapuram International Airport project has now entered its construction phase.
Once completed, the airport is expected to serve as a major aviation hub for north coastal Andhra Pradesh, enhancing regional connectivity, supporting industrial growth, boosting tourism, and complementing the existing aviation infrastructure in the Visakhapatnam region.
