Infra push: Andhra Pradesh Cabinet clears Dagadarthi greenfield airport in Nellore; to become state’s 8th airport

The Andhra Pradesh Cabinet has approved the Dagadarthi greenfield airport project in Nellore district, giving a major push to the state’s aviation and industrial infrastructure, PTI reported citing officials.With this approval, Dagadarthi will become Andhra Pradesh’s eighth airport, strengthening the state’s plans to build a multimodal logistics and industrial network, they added.Strategically located, the proposed airport offers connectivity to key National Highway corridors, two major ports — Krishnapatnam and Ramayapatnam — and several industrial clusters, including KRIS City and IFFCO SEZs. Officials said this locational advantage positions the airport as a facilitator for manufacturing, exports, agri-logistics and services-led growth in southern Andhra Pradesh.The project has already received in-principle clearance from the Ministry of Civil Aviation, and a request for proposal has been issued to invite private participation for development, operation and maintenance under a long-term concession framework.Planned in multiple phases, the airport will be developed over 1,332.80 acres. Phase I is designed to handle 1.4 million passengers per annum, with capacity scalable to 15 million passengers annually in the long term. The master plan also includes provision for a future cargo facility to support industrial output and port-led trade in the region.Officials said the Dagadarthi greenfield airport is expected to support regional development by integrating air connectivity with ports, highways and industrial zones, helping reduce logistics costs, attract investment and generate employment across construction, aviation and allied sectors.With the Cabinet’s approval, the state government said it continues to focus on accelerating infrastructure development to support long-term economic growth and connectivity.