Bhogapuram Airport set for commercial take-off

Metro India News | AMARAVATI

A new chapter in Andhra Pradesh’s aviation history is set to begin as commercial flight operations at the newly constructed Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport at Bhogapuram in Vizianagaram district commence from 12:01 am on Monday. With the transition, the existing civil enclave at INS Dega in Visakhapatnam will cease regular commercial operations. Airlines have shifted their scheduled services to Bhogapuram, with 31 flights planned on the inaugural day connecting the region with major cities including Hyderabad, Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Bengaluru, Kolkata and Tirupati.

The airport will also inherit the VTZ international airport code previously associated with Visakhapatnam. However, the existing Visakhapatnam facility will continue to remain available for defence operations, emergencies and flights operated by the Indian Air Force, other security forces, police and government VIP movements.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi formally inaugurated the Bhogapuram airport on August 1. Built at an estimated cost of Rs 4,727 crore, the greenfield airport has been completed in around 31 months, nearly five months ahead of schedule, making it one of the fastest major airport projects completed in the country.

The airport has received the required DGCA aerodrome licence along with security, fire-safety and environmental clearances. The first phase has been designed to handle 60 lakh passengers annually, while the master plan envisages expansion to a capacity of four crore passengers a year. Its strategic location is expected to transform the economic landscape of North Andhra by improving connectivity, boosting tourism, attracting industrial investments and strengthening exports, logistics, aerospace and defence-related activities.

Spread across 2,703.26 acres, the integrated project includes 2,203.32 acres for the airport, 500 acres for an aviation hub and 136.63 acres earmarked for an aviation university/education city. One of its major infrastructure features is the 3,800-metre Code-E runway, capable of handling wide-body aircraft such as Boeing 777, Boeing 787 Dreamliner and Airbus A330 and A340. Advanced airfield lighting and navigation systems have also been installed to support domestic and international operations. The shift marks more than the relocation of commercial flights. For North Andhra, Bhogapuram is being positioned as a new economic gateway, with the potential to reshape regional connectivity and accelerate investment and development across Vizianagaram, Visakhapatnam and Srikakulam.