Prime Minister Narendra Modi will undertake a day-long visit to Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka on Saturday, where he will inaugurate and lay the foundation stone for a series of infrastructure, connectivity, energy and technology projects aimed at boosting regional development and economic growth.
In Andhra Pradesh, the Prime Minister will inaugurate the Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport at Bhogapuram. Developed under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model at a cost of over Rs 5,640 crore, the Greenfield airport has an annual passenger handling capacity of six million. The project is expected to strengthen air connectivity, promote tourism and trade, attract investments, and generate employment in the region.
Ahead of the visit, Modi highlighted the significance of the airport in a post on X, stating, “In Bhogapuram, Andhra Pradesh, the Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport will be inaugurated. This is a modern and futuristic airport that will boost connectivity, commerce and tourism. This project also incorporates principles of sustainability and energy efficiency.”
The Prime Minister will also lay the foundation stone for the ASIP Semiconductor Project in Visakhapatnam, the state’s first semiconductor manufacturing facility approved under the India Semiconductor Mission. The project, with an investment of Rs 460 crore, is expected to manufacture nearly 96 million semiconductor chips annually, create high-skilled employment opportunities, and support the growth of a semiconductor manufacturing ecosystem in Andhra Pradesh.
In the renewable energy sector, Modi will lay the foundation stone for the Transmission System for Integration of Kurnool-IV Renewable Energy Zone – Phase-I (4.5 GW), a Rs 5,550 crore project being implemented by Powergrid through a Special Purpose Vehicle.
He will also inaugurate the Transmission System for Kurnool Wind Energy Zone and Solar Energy Zone (Andhra Pradesh) – Part A and Part B, developed at a cost of Rs 3,550 crore, along with the Transmission Scheme for Solar Energy Zone in Ananthapuram (2,500 MW) and Kurnool (1,000 MW), implemented by Powergrid at a cost of Rs 820 crore. These projects are expected to facilitate the evacuation of renewable energy generated in Kurnool and Ananthapuram and enable its transmission to consumers across the country through the National Grid.
The Prime Minister will further inaugurate and lay the foundation stone for National Highway projects worth Rs 1,880 crore. Projects to be inaugurated include the four-lane access-controlled Greenfield highway stretches from Recherla to Guruvaygudem and Guruvaygudem to Devarapalle on NH-365BG, as well as the four-lane Tadipatri Bypass on NH-67. He will also lay the foundation stone for a high-level bridge at Lingasamudram on the Penchalakona–Yerpedu section of NH-565.
According to the government, these highway projects will help ease traffic congestion in Vijayawada and other urban centres, improve road safety, reduce travel time between Visakhapatnam and Hyderabad, and enhance regional connectivity.
Later in the day, the Prime Minister will travel to Mysuru, Karnataka, where he will inaugurate the Swami Vivekananda Cultural Youth Centre – Viveka Smaraka and address a public gathering.
The Viveka Smaraka has been established to commemorate Swami Vivekananda’s historic visit to Mysuru in November 1892 during his journey across India. Built at the historic Niranjana Math over a constructed area of more than 81,000 square feet, the centre comprises a main building and an annex block. It houses a 4-D Experience Centre, exhibition hall, 700-seat amphitheatre, classrooms, conference rooms, library, reading room, meditation and yoga hall, book stall, and dedicated facilities for students preparing for competitive examinations.
The Prime Minister’s visit underscores the Centre’s focus on expanding modern infrastructure, clean energy, advanced manufacturing and cultural institutions while strengthening connectivity and creating new economic opportunities in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.
(With inputs from IANS)
