Visakhapatnam, Aug 1 (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday highlighted Andhra Pradesh’s growth prospects, saying global companies were increasingly looking to invest in the state, which is poised to emerge as a major manufacturing hub.
Addressing a public rally after inaugurating the airport at Bhogapuram and launching development projects worth Rs 18,000 crore, Modi said the airport would become the “runway” for Andhra Pradesh’s development, particularly in the northern region.
The Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport has been built at a cost of over Rs 5,700 crore with an initial annual passenger handling capacity of six million, expandable to 40 million.
Developed by the GMR Group, the airport will commence commercial flight operations on August 17.
“Google has announced a USD 15 billion AI and cloud infrastructure campus at Visakhapatnam. Many other global companies are also exploring new opportunities. This will greatly benefit Andhra Pradesh and create opportunities for the country’s youth,” Modi said.
He said the Centre was backing a mega pharma park at Nakkapalli, which is being developed into a major pharmaceutical hub in the state.
The Centre and the Andhra Pradesh government are prioritising the blue economy, port development and industrial growth, he said, adding that the state was also making rapid strides in sectors such as semiconductors, information technology and innovation.
Modi said the country’s blue economy initiatives were gaining momentum, helping position north Andhra Pradesh as a “coastal economic corridor”.
Generating employment through investment remained the government’s priority, he said.
The blue economy refers to the sustainable use of ocean and coastal resources to drive economic growth, create jobs, and safeguard marine ecosystems.
Projects worth Rs 2 lakh crore had been announced for Andhra Pradesh in recent years, while railway projects worth Rs 1 lakh crore were under implementation in the state.
The PM said Andhra Pradesh had the potential to become a hub for manufacturing and the pharmaceutical sector.
During his address, Modi said the country’s aviation sector had witnessed remarkable growth over the past 12 years, with the number of airports more than doubling from 74 to 166.
The naming of the airport reflected the government’s emphasis on recognising the contributions of inspiring personalities from the country’s rich history, he said.
Taking a swipe at the Congress and the Gandhi family, Modi said, “Earlier, airports were named only after one family,” and asserted that his government had changed that practice.
He cited the naming of the airport at Varanasi after Maharishi Valmiki as an example.
Referring to the regional connectivity scheme UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik), Modi said it had enabled people from smaller towns to travel by air.
He said the NDA government in Andhra Pradesh, led by Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan, was working at “double speed” to accelerate the state’s development.
Speaking on the occasion, Chandrababu Naidu described the Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport in Vizianagaram district as the “jewel of north Andhra”, saying it would transform the region’s economic landscape.
Modi, accompanied by Naidu and Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu, arrived at the venue in an open-top vehicle amid cheers from the gathering.
The Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport at Bhogapuram is the country’s second greenfield airport to commence operations this year, after Uttar Pradesh’s Jewar airport, which began commercial flight operations on June 15.
In a statement, the GMR Group said the airport had been completed several months ahead of schedule and would begin commercial operations on August 17.
Spread over 2,200 acres, the airport has been developed by GMR Visakhapatnam International Airport Ltd under the Public-Private Partnership model on a Design, Build, Finance, Operate and Transfer basis.
The integrated project spans 2,703.26 acres, comprising the airport spread across 2,203.32 acres, a 500-acre aviation hub, and an aviation university and EduCity over 136.63 acres, besides comprehensive airside infrastructure, commercial development, residential zones and approach roads.
GMR Airports Ltd, part of the GMR Group, operates six airports and has developed greenfield airports at Hyderabad, Goa and Bhogapuram.