YS Jagan lays stone for Bhogapuram airport, claims North Andhra will soon emerge as job hub

VISAKHAPATNAM: The North Andhra region, which till recently witnessed massive exodus of migrating workforce, will soon emerge as a ‘job hub’, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jaganmohan Reddy said on Wednesday.

He addressed a public meeting at Savarapalli after laying the foundation stone for the long-pending Bhogapuram International Airport, which will be constructed at a cost of Rs 4,592 crores. “Uttarandhra (North Andhra), till not so long ago, only used to remind us of its migrating workforce, seeking greener pastures elsewhere. But, thanks to a host of developmental activities, the region will emerge as a job hub in the coming days,” the Chief Minister said.

YS Jagan further said: “Recently, we have laid the foundation stone for a port at Mulapet. And the Bhogapuram International Airport, for which stone was laid today, will become a nervecentre for the North Andhra region. Also today, we are laying a foundation stone for Adani data centre, which is certain to change the face of Andhra Pradesh.”

The Chief Minister also reiterated his government’s commitment for the development of North Andhra region as part of its vision for the all-encompassing growth of the state.

In a veiled attack against the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and other opposition parties, he claimed that some elements were unable to digest the fact that the process for the construction of the Bhogapuram airport had been set in motion by his government. “These elements hurriedly broke coconuts just months before the last elections just for the sake of claiming credit for the airport project. The same people later obstructed the process for the project by filing petitions in the Supreme Court and National Green Tribunal (NGT). We have crossed all the hurdles to successfully organise the stone-laying ceremony today. It was made possible by the farmers of this place. The Bhogapuram airport, once completed, is going to emerge as a nervecentre for medical tourism, IT and industries,” he stated.

Asserting that no one would be able to scuttle the long-pending project now, YS Jagan announced with pride that he himself would be inaugurating the Bhogapuram airport in 2026. “Today, you saw your son lay the foundation stone. I promise you, it will be your son again who will inaugurate the airport in 2026. No one can conspire against me and my programmes as long as I enjoy people’s blessings. The GMR Group has promised to complete the airport work within 24 to 30 months. We will also facilitate the landing of jumbo double-decker aircraft like the A380s. We will create the infrastructure to accommodate 60 lakh passengers in the first phase before expanding this to four crore passengers in the final phase,” he said.

YS Jagan also reiterated on this occasion his commitment to start the administrative functioning of the State government from Visakhapatnam from September, 2023.

YS Jagan lays stone for three more projects

The Chief Minister also virtually laid foundation stones for Rs 194.4 crore Taraka Rama Thirtha Sagaram Project and Rs 23.73 crore Chintapalli Fish Landing Centre in Vizianagaram district.

He reiterated his commitment for the decentralized development of the State and said that the Government would adhere to its policy of balanced development of every region, village and every house.

The three districts of the North Andhra region have been reorganized into six districts as part of the decentralization plans with one of them being named after Manyam warrior Alluri Seetarama Raju who terrorized the British rulers, said the Chief Minister.