Latest news with #PotluriBhaskaraRao
New Indian Express
3 days ago
- Business
- New Indian Express
Operate more international flight services from Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh Chambers urges IndiGo
VIJAYAWADA: A team from IndiGo Airlines, led by Associate Director of Sales (South India) Saurabh Sachdeva, met office-bearers of the Andhra Pradesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry Federation (AP Chambers) in Vijayawada on Thursday. AP Chambers President Potluri Bhaskara Rao highlighted the growing aviation potential in the Vijayawada region and urged IndiGo to introduce more international flights. 'We thank IndiGo for launching the Vijayawada-Kurnool direct flight. There is an immense demand for international connectivity from Vijayawada, especially to Dubai and Singapore,' he said, citing the large NRI population, student migration, and growing business community. He pointed out that prior to the pandemic, IndiGo operated a direct flight from Vijayawada to Singapore with over 80% occupancy. He added that increasing industrial activity and capital city development have further boosted demand. He also requested the use of larger aircraft like Airbus or Boeing to accommodate both passengers and belly cargo, and proposed direct flights from Vijayawada to Varanasi.
Hans India
3 days ago
- Business
- Hans India
IndiGo urged to launch international connectivity
Vijayawada: A team from IndiGo Airlines, led by its Associate Director – Sales (South India) Saurabh Sachdeva, called on the office-bearers of Andhra Pradesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry Federation (AP Chambers) at AP Chambers Office here on Thursday. AP Chambers' team, led by its president Potluri Bhaskara Rao, briefed the IndiGo team on the potential of Vijayawada region and opportunities available for IndiGo in Vijayawada region. Bhaskara Rao thanked IndiGo for launching Vijayawada-Kurnool direct flight. He requested the airline to introduce more direct international connectivity from Vijayawada. One person at least from almost every family in the State is an NRI, he pointed out. According to estimates, there are around five lakh NRIs in the catchment area of Vijayawada. Many family members, parents, and a huge student population are migrating to various countries. The region has a huge potential for more international connectivity to Dubai, Singapore, and other destinations. Before the pandemic, IndiGo operated a direct flight from Vijayawada to Singapore with more than 80 percent occupancy. Besides Amaravati capital city construction works, industrial activity has picked up a lot in the region. With this, the demand for more international connectivity has increased. In the past few months, Vijayawada airport has witnessed 30,000 to 40,000 increases in air passenger traffic. Hence, AP Chambers requests IndiGo to operate direct flights between Vijayawada-Dubai and Vijayawada-Singapore. 'Most of the aircrafts that IndiGo operates from Vijayawada are small aircrafts. We request the airline to operate large aircrafts such as Airbus or Boeing as bigger aircrafts have the capacity to carry 2 to 3 tonnes of belly cargo. IndiGo may start direct flights between Vijayawada-Varanasi, between Vijayawada-Ahmedabad or Surat and between Vijayawada-Kolkata via Visakhapatnam.' IndiGo is requested to explore code-sharing agreements with international flights for flights operating from Vijayawada. IndiGo has code-sharing agreements with international airlines operating from many cities in India. However, IndiGo does not have code-sharing agreements with international airlines for its flights operating from Vijayawada. Code-sharing will help air travellers with seamless booking experience, efficient baggage transfers, and better connectivity to major international destinations. IndiGo Associate Director – Sales for AP & Telangana BVB Chary and Sales Manager for AP Mohit Krishna were part of the discussion.
Hans India
6 days ago
- Business
- Hans India
AP Chambers suggests interventions for rural development
Vijayawada: A delegation of the Andhra Pradesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry Federation (AP Chambers), led by President Potluri Bhaskara Rao, met with Union Minister of State for Rural Development and Communications Dr Pemmasani Chandra Sekhar at his office on Monday and submitted a detailed representation suggesting several strategic interventions to accelerate rural development, industrial growth, and infrastructure enhancement in the State. During the meeting, Potluri Bhaskara Rao expressed appreciation for the Minister's proactive efforts in improving rural and telecommunications infrastructure across Andhra Pradesh. Some of the suggestions include establishment of the National Institute of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj (NIRD&PR) in Amaravati to build rural governance capacities, launch of a rural employment scheme modelled on MNREGA to support Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs), setting up of rural skill development centres to equip youth with industry-relevant skills, creation of commodity boards for mango, banana, and palm oil to support crop processing and exports, establishment of Defence and Aerospace manufacturing clusters in strategic locations to promote high-value industries. Telecom coverage needed to be improved in underserved regions of Andhra Pradesh by directing service providers to enhance network quality. The minister appreciated the Chambers' proactive role and assured the delegation that the suggestions would be taken up with relevant ministries for further consideration.
Hans India
13-05-2025
- Business
- Hans India
AP Chambers urges govt to repeal NALA Act
Vijayawada: Andhra Pradesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry Federation (AP Chambers) in a letter to Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu urged to repeal the AP Agricultural Land (Conversion for Non-Agricultural Purpose) Act 2006 also known as NALA Act immediately. The State government has announced in March 2025 that the Act will be abolished soon. In the letter, AP Chambers president Potluri Bhaskara Rao mentioned, 'We thank the State government for announcing that the AP Agricultural Land (Conversion for Non-Agricultural Purpose) Act 2006 will be abolished soon. Since the announcement with regard to the repeal of this Act was made by the Chief Minister on March 27, 2025, entrepreneurs have been eagerly waiting for the abolishment of the Act.' He recalled that it has been a long-pending demand of the citizens and business enterprises to abolish the Act. On account of this Act, there was redundancy in the regulation process, causing unnecessary delays in the conversion of land from agricultural to other purposes. This has been a major hurdle in the Ease of Doing Business (EoDB) in the state. Abolishment of this Act will further simplify the EoDB. Because of the excellent industrial and other policies introduced by the State government, the economic activity has picked up and there is a lot of enthusiasm from entrepreneurs to set up industries in the state. The Real Estate sector has also picked up momentum. The elimination of NALA Act will help speed up the grounding of many investments, thereby boosting the economy of Andhra Pradesh. He said that the State government will earn more income with the grounding of innumerable projects across the State. He requested the State government to abolish this Act immediately and stated that it will be hugely beneficial to entrepreneurs looking to set up new businesse.
Hans India
09-05-2025
- Business
- Hans India
Suryalanka–Vodarevu: AP Chambers for development of coastal beach corridor
Vijayawada: The Andhra Pradesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry Federation (AP Chambers) has submitted a representation to the State Government, recommending the development of a coastal beach corridor between Suryalanka (Bapatla district) and Vodarevu (Chirala, Prakasam district). Special Chief Secretary Ajay Jain, AP Chambers' president Potluri Bhaskara Rao highlighted the significant untapped potential of this picturesque 20-km coastline, which features pristine white-sand beaches and a growing base of hospitality investments. He said that despite Andhra Pradesh's 1,000-km coastline, tourist inflow from outside the state remains limited due to infrastructure and connectivity gaps. A dedicated beach road between Suryalanka and Vodarevu may be created passing through Pandurangapuram Beach, which already hosts several high-end resorts and has many more under development. A direct road connectivity to both Suryalanka and Vodarevu beaches from Vijayawada and Hyderabad, will make them easily accessible and coastal linkage between Suryalanka and Pandurangapuram beach, which has emerged as a hotspot for premium resorts. 'A 6–10 km beach road connecting these key tourism points would unlock opportunities for another 20–25 high-end resorts, transforming the corridor into Andhra Pradesh's own 'Mini Goa'. These beaches are the nearest coastal destinations for people of Telangana, particularly from Hyderabad and surrounding districts, and also hold immense potential as weekend getaways for residents of Vijayawada, Guntur, and the Amaravati capital region. With proper infrastructure and planning, this corridor could become one of the most visited and economically vibrant beach destinations in South India. Bhaskara Rao suggested that the Suryalanka–Vodarevu corridor should aim at addressing these gaps through an integrated model of infrastructure, hospitality, ecotourism, and sustainability. By strengthening road connectivity between these beaches and introducing basic amenities such as lighting, parking, sanitation, and coastal protection, the region can be made accessible and tourist-friendly. The corridor has great potential to attract investments in resorts, eco-lodges, wellness centres, and water sports, while involving local communities in tourism value chains through skill development, local crafts, and food-based experiences. He also emphasised the importance of sustainable tourism practices, including waste management systems, solar-powered facilities, Blue Flag certification, and community-based cooperatives. 'If implemented, the initiative is expected to generate substantial employment for local youth and artisans, increase tourist footfall, and stimulate economic activity in Chirala, Bapatla, and surrounding towns, while firmly placing Andhra Pradesh on the national tourism map,' he said.
