Andhra Pradesh Gets Centre’s Site Clearance for Kuppam and Srikakulam Airports

The Union Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) has granted site clearance for the proposed airports at Kuppam and Srikakulam in Andhra Pradesh, allowing the state government to proceed with the necessary steps for their development. The government has already identified land for both projects. The Andhra Pradesh Airports Development Corporation Limited (APADCL) has submitted proposals to the state government outlining possible development models. The government is now examining whether to adopt the landlord model, under which the government retains full ownership, or the public-private partnership (PPP) model. Once a decision is finalised, the state will inform MoCA and issue a Request for Proposal (RFP), a senior APADCL official said.

The state government has proposed developing nine airports at Kuppam, Srikakulam, Nagarjuna Sagar, Tuni-Annavaram, Tadepalligudem, Ongole, Anantapur, Amaravati and Dagadarthi, with an estimated investment of ₹6,418 crore. Of these, site clearance has now been granted for Kuppam and Srikakulam. The first phase of the Srikakulam airport project is estimated to cost ₹750.52 crore, with a draft master plan prepared for 1,185.56 acres. The government aims to complete its construction by 2030 and is considering three development models involving the Airports Authority of India (AAI), private participation and the state government. At Kuppam, the first phase is estimated to cost ₹734 crore. The government has identified 1,788 acres and acquired 1,300 acres so far. The proposals include an expenditure of ₹198.75 crore on land acquisition and ₹146 crore on infrastructure, with a total estimated investment of ₹1,142.10 crore across two phases.