Bhogapuram Airport Set For Take Off After Licence Issued

Union Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu announced that Alluri Sitharama Raju Bhogapuram International Airport has achieved 100 per cent completion following issuance of its aerodrome licence by the Ministry of Civil Aviation after an inspection with public representatives, district officials and GMR Group representatives. The licence was granted after extensive verification over the past month to ensure that safety and operational standards were met. The Chief Minister's Office has already contacted the Prime Minister's Office to finalise an inauguration date and commercial flight operations will commence within a week of the inauguration by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The project had been targeted for completion by December 2026 but was finished six months ahead of schedule through joint efforts of the State Government, the Union Government, GMR Group and the Airports Authority of India (AAI). Officials attributed the early delivery to coordinated planning and expedited work across agencies. The completion was framed as a significant logistical achievement for the region.

Designed as a major economic driver for north Andhra, the airport has been built to handle up to 40 million passengers annually (40 mn). The terminal building, inspired by the shape of a flying fish, has been presented as reflecting the culture and heritage of north coastal Andhra Pradesh. The facility's scale is intended to broaden connectivity and support tourism and trade.

The airport includes a cargo terminal with a capacity of 20,000 metric t to support exports from the region's aqua, pharmaceutical, mango and agricultural sectors. On connectivity, seven traffic-free approach roads are being planned, including a six-lane coastal corridor linking RK Beach in Visakhapatnam with Bhogapuram. A proposal for a double-decker Metro link from Visakhapatnam is under consideration by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.