Bhogapuram international airport all set for inauguration in early July
By G Janardhana Rao
Visakhapatnam: The Bhogapuram Greenfield International Airport, christened Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport, is set to be inaugurated in the first week of July, positioning it as a major catalyst for economic growth in North Coastal Andhra Pradesh. The airport is nearing completion ahead of schedule, with Union Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu closely reviewing its progress.
The Andhra Pradesh government has invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi to inaugurate the facility and has proposed July 5, 8, and 10 as possible dates. Signaling that the opening is imminent, Scoot has announced a complete shift of its Visakhapatnam operations to the new airport at Bhogapuram.
In an advisory to passengers, Scoot said it will operate all services from Bhogapuram International Airport instead of the existing Visakhapatnam airport starting July 8. Booking counters will open 2.5 hours before scheduled departure, and the airline has asked passengers to reach the airport at least two hours early. The advisory is being read as confirmation that the airport will be operational in the first week of July.
The airport is being developed by GMR Visakhapatnam International Airport Limited, a subsidiary of GMR Airports Limited, under the Public-Private Partnership model on a Design, Build, Finance, Operate and Transfer basis. In Phase-1, the airport is designed to handle 6 million passengers per annum, with provisions to scale up capacity based on traffic growth. It will serve domestic and international passengers and handle dedicated cargo operations.
Located on the Visakhapatnam'Vizianagaram district border, the site is about 45 km from Visakhapatnam via NH-16 and 25 km from Vizianagaram via NH-43. The strategic east coast location gives it access to a wide catchment area. To support faster access, the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation and VMRDA have prioritized master plan roads connecting the city to Bhogapuram.
The Andhra Pradesh Air Travellers Association has welcomed the opening of the GMR airport. APATA leaders K Kumar Raja, DS Varma, and O Naresh Kumar also welcomed Scoot's decision to begin operations from Bhogapuram on July 8, 2026. 'This is a feather in the cap of Visakhapatnam and will boost the economic prosperity of the entire north coast of Andhra Pradesh,' they said.
APATA recalled its earlier role in establishing direct connections from Visakhapatnam to Singapore, Dubai, Colombo, Malaysia, and Bangkok with the support of people's representatives.
The association has now urged GMR to set up a dedicated cargo terminal at the earliest. More than 150 pharma companies in the region currently truck cargo to Chennai and Hyderabad airports. A cargo terminal at Bhogapuram would allow exports to originate directly from Visakhapatnam, saving time, cost, and reducing the carbon footprint, APATA said.
The group also requested restoration of direct connectivity to Bangkok, Malaysia, and Colombo, which were discontinued due to restrictions at the old naval-controlled airport. With existing flights to Abu Dhabi and Singapore, this would give Visakhapatnam five strong international connections.
Flight movements at the existing Visakhapatnam airport had earlier peaked at 88 per day before dropping to around 60. APATA expects the new airport to push daily movements beyond 90 and restore Vizag's position as a major aviation hub.
On last-mile connectivity, APATA asked GMR and the state government to sign an MoU with Uber and Ola for fixed-cost airport cabs. Optimized routing, fare transparency, and a dedicated app-based pickup zone at the terminal would prevent surge pricing and reduce congestion, it said.
The association further urged the state to begin work on the coastal corridor within a month to ensure faster airport access. It also sought deployment of green buses with six dedicated passenger lounges across the city and real-time bus arrival displays at the airport.
'These initiatives will greatly improve passenger convenience, strengthen cargo exports, ensure affordable last-mile connectivity, and boost the entire economy of the north coastal region,' APATA leaders said.
Bhogapuram International Airport is set to redefine air connectivity for North Andhra, opening the region to new trade, tourism, and investment.
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