Villagers around the Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport at Bhogapuram in Vizianagaram district say heavy vehicles used to build the airport have damaged village roads and that they want new ones laid, The Hindu reported on 12 October 2026.
Quick Facts
| Airport | Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport, Bhogapuram, Vizianagaram district |
| Area | Nearly 2,500 acres |
| Villages affected | Dibbalapalem, Ravada, Byreddipalem, Gudepuvalasa, Kancheru and others |
| Cause of delay | Shortage of funds, according to officials |
What Residents Say
Many villages lost easy connectivity and were separated from one another after the airport was built on about 2,500 acres. Farmers in Dibbalapalem, Kavulavada and Jammayyapalem say small approach roads from the main villages are damaged, so they cannot bring home produce or carry fertiliser and other inputs to their fields.
“Earlier, we used to walk and move our tractors and other vehicles to the fields. But now, it has become a Herculean task to walk on the roads,” said a farmer, Mr. Subba Rao. Other farmers named were K. Suribabu and A. Applanaidu.
The Response
Farmers raised the issue with Jana Sena Party MLA Lokam Naga Madhavi, who assured them she would take it up with the government. Officials said a shortage of funds delayed construction of new roads and approach roads.
Passengers Are Affected Too
Air passengers also face difficulties because the service roads have no connection to the airport, so all passengers must use the highway to enter and leave. A passenger, M.S.S. Mohan, asked the National Highways Authority of India to provide proper connectivity from the service roads. Passengers using service roads must travel at least eight kilometres to reach the national highway, the only route to the airport, he said.
What Is Not Known
The Hindu’s report did not give a timeline for repairs or a budget for the new roads.
Featured image: Roads under construction at the Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport, Bhogapuram, May 2026 (file photo). Photo by Saiphani02, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
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