Andhra Pradesh mulling Shamshabad-type airport for P-2 of Amaravati

Andhra Pradesh Government is contemplating developing replication of Rajiv Gandhi International Airport at Shamshabad in Hyderabad at the greenfield capital city of Amaravati.

As part of the second phase expansion of Amaravati, the government is examining the pros cons of whether to opt for land acquisition or extend the Land Pooling Scheme 2.0 to obtain land required for the international airport, an international sports city and smart industries along with the associated infrastructure like the outer, inner and regional ring roads. If LPS is launched, preliminary estimates by the Andhra Pradesh Capital Regional Development Authority (CRDA) suggest that 40,000 acres may be acquired. Both the Chief Ministers have vowed to develop Amaravati and Future City as India's model net zero greenfield smart cities.

"The way the Andhra Pradesh Government plans to develop the international airport for Amaravati exclusively though Gannavaram Airport, Vijayawada is nearby, it gives the impression that Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu wants to outwit his Telangana counterpart A. Revanth Reddy's plan to develop Future City in 30,000 acres with connectivity to Shamshabad Airport through a Green Corridor Metro Rail in just 40 minutes," a former Marine Chief Engineer told Bizz Buzz, seeking anonymity.

For the first phase, the Naidu-headed Government in 2015 had acquired 34,000 acres under LPS by offering 1,000 square yards of developing plots of their choice in the capital city in addition to cash compensation. "Though many are willing to offer lands under LPS, we have not decided on a method to be followed. If land acquisition is chosen, we may restrict the extent," Minister for Municipal Administration & Urban Development P. Narayana told the media on Monday after a CRDA meeting.

The NDA Government wants to hold public hearings in the affected villages to acquire 5,000 acres for the airport, 2500 acres each for sports city and smart industries and the remaining area for the required infrastructure. As a self-sustaining city, the government has plans to auction 4,000 to 5,000 acres acquired for Amaravati first phase. The land cost per acre is unofficially estimated at Rs.20 crore to Rs.30 crore.

After work grinded to a halt during the previous regime, the TDP-led coalition relaunched Amaravati Restart by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 2. As per announcement made by the Chief Minister, the first phase will be made operational in 2028, a year ahead of the general elections.World Bank, ADB and HUDCO have sanctioned a total soft loan of Rs.26,000 crore in addition to Rs.5,000 crore by Germany-based KfW for Amaravati.