Bhogapuram International Airport
The Bhogapuram International Airport (BIA), also known as Visakhapatnam International Airport, is a greenfield airport under construction in Andhra Pradesh, India.
The airport is being developed in four phases. The first phase of the airport is being undertaken with an estimated investment of Rs47.5bn ($569.7m).
Construction of the first phase, which began in May 2023, is scheduled for completion in 2025. Upon completion of the first phase, the airport is expected to handle up to six million passengers annually.
Subsequently, the airport’s annual capacity will increase to 12 million passengers in the second phase and to 18 million passengers in the third phase. The airport is expected to handle 24 million passengers annually, upon completion of the final phase.
Once operational, the airport is expected to drive economic growth and boost tourism in the Northern Andhra Pradesh region.
Location of Bhogapuram International Airport
The Bhogapuram International Airport site is in the Bhogapuram mandal in the Vizianagaram district of Andhra Pradesh. It lies approximately 45km from Visakhapatnam via the national highway NH-5 and 25km from Vizianagaram via NH-43 on the border of Visakhapatnam and Vizianagaram districts.
The site occupies a total land area of 2,203.26 acres (891.62ha), with the Bay of Bengal located approximately 1.5km to the east and NH-5 approximately 1.5km to the west.
The strategically located airport on the east coast is expected to benefit from the large catchment area surrounding the region.
Infrastructure details
The airport will include a maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) facility spread over 25 acres, featuring aprons, aircraft washing areas, airside and landside circulation, hangars, engine run-up bays, and support facilities. The MRO facility will be constructed on the western side in phase one, with plans for future development phases to include expansion to the northeast corner.
A 5,000m² cargo terminal will be developed on ten acres of land on the eastern side of the airport. It will offer both international and domestic cargo operations and feature a flexible and modular design.
A traffic loop system, including an eastern and western loop, is planned to be developed in front of the terminal building to link the main access road and other amenities. The eastern loop featuring the departures forecourt, will accommodate passenger parking, while the western loop featuring the arrivals forecourt, will host a taxi pick-up kerb.
The car park is divided into sections for private cars and taxis, with private car zones positioned in front of the departure area behind the bus bays. The arrival zone will feature a designated area for taxi queuing for pick-up purposes.