Bhogapuram airport 100% complete with aerodrome licence; inauguration soon
Visakhapatnam: Andhra Pradesh's long-awaited Alluri Sitaramaraju International Airport at Bhogapuram has achieved full completion with the grant of aerodrome licence, Union Minister for Civil Aviation K. Rammohan Naidu said on Monday after a detailed inspection of the facility.
Declaring the airport '100 percent ready', he announced that Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu had already written to the Prime Minister's Office and the inauguration date would be finalised soon in consultation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Full-scale flight operations will begin within a week of the launch, he added.
Speaking to media persons at the site, Rammohan Naidu said the airport had been completed six months ahead of the December 2026 deadline set by the Chief Minister, a result of close coordination between the state government, the Centre and GMR.
Stating that as he was both the Union Minister and a representative of the region, Rammohan Naidu said he had taken special interest in the project, making more than 10 field visits over the past two years to review progress at every stage. The Airports Authority of India and GMR worked in tandem to complete construction in just two years, turning Bhogapuram into one of the fastest greenfield airport projects in the country.
For the last month, the Ministry of Civil Aviation conducted intensive verification of runways, navigation systems, terminal facilities and safety protocols. With the aerodrome licence now issued, the airport has met all regulatory requirements for commercial operations.
The Union Minister described the 78,000 sq ft terminal, shaped like a 'flying fish', as among the best airports built in India in recent years. Designed to handle 4 crore passengers annually, it offers amenities on par with Tier-1 city airports. The interiors and exteriors have been crafted to reflect local culture and heritage, giving travellers a distinct sense of Uttarandhra's identity from the moment they arrive.
The Minister said had been planned with the next 25 to 50 years of demand in mind, based on the Chief Minister's vision. A dedicated cargo terminal with 20,000 metric tonnes capacity has been built to serve the region's aqua, pharma, mango, horticulture and agricultural exports. A special focus has been placed on MRO ' maintenance, repair and overhaul ' facilities, aligning with the Prime Minister's call to build domestic capacity so that Indian aircraft are serviced within the country and foreign carriers are drawn to Indian MROs.
With over 850 aircraft currently operating and more than 1,600 on order, and around 110 new aircraft joining fleet every year, Bhogapuram's MRO network will be critical to the aviation ecosystem, he said.
He also thanked Goa Governor Ashok Gajapathi Raju for supporting the proposed educity project to train local youth for aviation-related jobs.
Naidu said seven approach roads to Bhogapuram were being widened to ensure seamless, traffic-free connectivity. Plans are also ready for a six-lane coastal corridor from RK Beach to Bhogapuram, which will be completed in two years once clearances are secured.
He recalled that Hyderabad had planned Shamshabad airport even when Begumpet was functional, and today it meets future demand while providing direct and indirect employment to 3 lakh people. Bhogapuram, with MRO, educity and allied facilities, is expected to emerge as an international aviation hub and accelerate the development of north coastal Andhra, he said.
On User Development Fee, the Minister clarified that charges would be fixed through a defined formula based on investment and passenger traffic, and revised every five years as per norms. The ministry would ensure the structure is acceptable to passengers and airlines alike.
He added that a double-decker Metro line proposal for Visakhapatnam is under examination at the Ministry of Urban Affairs, and after a detailed survey, metro connectivity will further reduce travel time to the airport.
Naidu credited local farmers for their cooperation in making the airport a reality and said the coalition government had accorded top priority to Bhogapuram after taking office, with all departments coordinating to deliver the project without delays. The airport, he said, would not just improve connectivity but also serve as a catalyst for industry, tourism and exports across Uttarandhra.
District Collector S. Ram Sundar Reddy, Vizianagaram MP Kalisetti Appalanaidu, Nelimarla MLA Lokam Madhavi, Markfed Chairman Karrothu Bangarraju, GMR Project Head Ramaraju, CEO Lucky Verma Bhaskar and senior officials accompanied the Minister during the inspection.
|
