Visakhapatnam: Land prices in villages surrounding the ASR (Bhogapuram) International Airport have surged following the airport’s launch by Prime Minister Narendra Modi last week, with investors stepping up enquiries for land along the airport corridor. The government acquired 2,203.26 acres in seven villages — Kancheru, Gudepuvalasa, Kavulavada, Ravada, A. Ravivalasa, Savaravalli and Munjeru — in Bhogapuram mandal of Vizianagaram district. He said land prices began rising after the Telugu Desam government proposed the airport project in 2015. According to Srinivasu Reddy, land prices in the seven villages subsequently rose to around Rs 2 crore an acre and are now being quoted at up to ₹10 crore an acre near National Highway 16 and around Rs 5 crore an acre in interior areas. “Now the cost is around Rs 3 crore an acre in villages without proper roads and Rs 5 crore in areas with road connectivity,” Rao said.