PM Modi to Inaugurate Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport at Bhogapuram on August 1
The decades-old dream of the people of North Andhra Pradesh is set to become a reality as the state-of-the-art Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport at Bhogapuram is scheduled for inauguration on August 1. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will formally dedicate the greenfield airport to the nation, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu announced on Saturday.
After reviewing the progress of construction works with senior officials, Chandrababu Naidu confirmed the date and directed officials to organise the inauguration ceremony on a grand scale befitting its historical significance. He described the airport as a landmark milestone in the development of North Andhra and expressed confidence that it would transform the region into an “unstoppable” growth engine when combined with tourism, ports, national highways, and industrial progress.
The airport is being developed in Bhogapuram, Vizianagaram district, approximately 45 km from Visakhapatnam city, near National Highway-16. Spread across 2,200 acres, the project is being executed by GMR Visakhapatnam International Airport Limited (GVIAL), a part of the GMR Group.
In the first phase, the airport has been built at a cost of ₹4,592 crore. The terminal building is designed to handle 6.3 million (63 lakh) passengers per annum initially. Master plans are in place to expand capacity to 12 million in the second phase and 18 million in the third phase as passenger traffic grows.
The project has seen steady progress across governments. Chandrababu Naidu laid the foundation stone in February 2019 during his previous tenure as Chief Minister. In September 2024, the airport was officially named after the legendary freedom fighter Alluri Sitarama Raju.
Civil aviation operations currently running from the INS Dega Naval Base in Visakhapatnam will be shifted to Bhogapuram in a phased manner. Plans are also underway to develop an ‘Aerotropolis’ around the airport to attract investment and create employment opportunities.
Experts believe that once fully operational, the new international airport will give a major boost to industrial growth and tourism in North Andhra Pradesh, unlocking the region’s immense economic potential.
After reviewing the progress of construction works with senior officials, Chandrababu Naidu confirmed the date and directed officials to organise the inauguration ceremony on a grand scale befitting its historical significance. He described the airport as a landmark milestone in the development of North Andhra and expressed confidence that it would transform the region into an “unstoppable” growth engine when combined with tourism, ports, national highways, and industrial progress.
The airport is being developed in Bhogapuram, Vizianagaram district, approximately 45 km from Visakhapatnam city, near National Highway-16. Spread across 2,200 acres, the project is being executed by GMR Visakhapatnam International Airport Limited (GVIAL), a part of the GMR Group.
In the first phase, the airport has been built at a cost of ₹4,592 crore. The terminal building is designed to handle 6.3 million (63 lakh) passengers per annum initially. Master plans are in place to expand capacity to 12 million in the second phase and 18 million in the third phase as passenger traffic grows.
The project has seen steady progress across governments. Chandrababu Naidu laid the foundation stone in February 2019 during his previous tenure as Chief Minister. In September 2024, the airport was officially named after the legendary freedom fighter Alluri Sitarama Raju.
Civil aviation operations currently running from the INS Dega Naval Base in Visakhapatnam will be shifted to Bhogapuram in a phased manner. Plans are also underway to develop an ‘Aerotropolis’ around the airport to attract investment and create employment opportunities.
Experts believe that once fully operational, the new international airport will give a major boost to industrial growth and tourism in North Andhra Pradesh, unlocking the region’s immense economic potential.
