Union Minister for Civil Aviation Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu recently reviewed works at Bhogapuram international airport in Vizianagaram district.
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
GMR Visakhapatnam International Airport Limited (GMRVIAL) chief executive officer Manomay Rai has said that the Bhogapuram international airport would be completed by June 2026 and will be capable of handling large wide-bodied aircraft.
Mr. Rai was in Visakhapatnam recently to participate in the ‘Speaker Session on Emerging Trends & Opportunities’ organised by Vizagapatam Chamber of Commerce & Industry (VCCI), said a release on Wednesday (November 20, 2024).
“The aviation industry, particularly airports, benefits the economy by impacting multiple sectors such as fuel suppliers, logistics, travel, warehousing, hospitality, retail, and trade. The industry creates jobs and stimulates tourism and real estate,” Mr. Rai observed.
“Sustainability in airport operations and digitalisation are the future of the aviation industry. Airport operations face challenges of emission not only from its own assets but also from aircraft, ground support vehicles, and other activities carried out by various concessionaires,” he said.
Future of air travel
“Airport operators are reducing carbon footprints by incorporating measures such as rainwater harvesting, solar plants, waste management facilities, and EV charging stations. On the digitalisation front, Digiyatra, self-bag drop, and AI-based chatbots for resolving passenger queries are some of the measures taken by airports,” he said.
“The future of air travel envisages the use of drones and Urban Air Mobility, electrical aircraft and hydrogen-powered aircraft, and extensive use of AI, machine learning, and the Internet of Things for various aspects. Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) is one of the most promising and evolving trends in the aviation industry,” he said.
Participating in the programme, Hindustan Shipyard Limited CMD Commodore Hemant Khatri said Visakhapatnam would become a hub of shipbuilding by 2047. The company’s future plans include resumption of commercial shipbuilding and the construction of green vessels. “As the order book is over ₹20,000 crore, there is immense scope for MSMEs to be associated with HSL,” he said.
Another speaker at the programme, Jitendra Sharma, MD & founder CEO of AP MedTech Zone (AMTZ), said that the role of units in the AMTZ in the supply of critical items during COVID-19 and the continuous efforts to replace expensive imports of various medical devices with less expensive ones such as glucometer strip and MRI machines manufactured by them.
“He suggested that there should be more focus on material science. Local investors could consider entering joint ventures with new units as this is a promising field with vast scope for growth,” he said.
VCCI president Sudarsan Swamy read out the objectives of VCCI.
Published – November 21, 2024 05:52 am IST
