Commercial flight operations to shift from Vizag to Bhogapuram

Metro India News | AMARAVATI

Commercial flight operations at Visakhapatnam Airport will officially shift to the newly constructed Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport at Bhogapuram in Vizianagaram district from August 17, marking a major transition in Andhra Pradesh’s aviation sector.

According to a notification issued by the Union Ministry of Civil Aviation, commercial operations at the Bhogapuram airport will commence from 12.01 a.m. on August 17. From the same time, commercial flight services at the civil enclave of INS Dega (Visakhapatnam Airport) will cease.

The notification, however, stated that the Visakhapatnam airport will continue to be available for national emergencies, operations of the Indian Air Force, other armed forces, police agencies and government VIP aircraft. The existing international airport code “VTZ” has also been transferred to the Bhogapuram airport.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to inaugurate the greenfield airport on August 1. Developed at an estimated cost of ₹4,727 crore, the airport is among the fastest-completed greenfield airports in the country, with construction completed in 31 months, nearly five months ahead of schedule. The facility has already received the required DGCA aerodrome licence, along with security, fire safety and environmental clearances.

In its first phase, the airport has been designed to handle six million passengers annually, with a long-term master plan to expand capacity to 40 million passengers a year. Officials expect the project to significantly boost tourism, industrial investments, exports and logistics across the north coastal districts of Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram and Srikakulam.

Spread over 2,703 acres, the project includes 2,203 acres for the airport, while the remaining land has been earmarked for an aviation hub and aviation-related educational institutions. The airport features a 3,800-metre runway capable of handling wide-body aircraft such as the Boeing 777, Boeing 787 Dreamliner and Airbus A330. The passenger terminal is equipped with modern facilities, including advanced airfield lighting and navigation systems, self-baggage drop counters and smart surveillance technology, aimed at providing a world-class travel experience.

We did, Babu is taking credit: Jagan

YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) president and former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy has accused Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu of attempting to claim credit for the upcoming Bhogapuram Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport, asserting that the project’s key milestones were achieved during the previous YSRCP government.