Bhogapuram International Airport Inaugurated in Andhra Pradesh

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport at Bhogapuram in Vizianagaram district, Andhra Pradesh, on 1 August 2026. The airport is Andhra Pradesh’s first greenfield international airport after the 2014 bifurcation of the state.

Airport Classification and Greenfield Projects

A greenfield airport is built on a new site rather than by expanding an existing airport. The Bhogapuram project was developed by GMR Visakhapatnam International Airport Limited under a public-private partnership model.

Capacity, Cost and Operations

The airport was built at a cost of over ₹5,640 crore. Its first phase is designed to handle six million passengers annually. Commercial flights are scheduled to begin on 17 August 2026, and civil operations at Visakhapatnam airport will cease after the shift.

Design Features and Development Context

The terminal building has been designed with a flying fish motif. The design refers to the Bay of Bengal and the maritime heritage of North Andhra, and it also includes traditional Rangoli patterns. The airport opened nearly five months ahead of its initial schedule.

Important Facts for Exams

• Andhra Pradesh was reorganised in 2014 after the bifurcation of the erstwhile state of Andhra Pradesh.
• Greenfield airports are constructed on undeveloped land and are different from brownfield airport expansions.
• Public-private partnership is a model in which a government body and a private company share project responsibilities.
• Visakhapatnam airport is the existing airport that will stop civil operations after the Bhogapuram shift.

Related Development Projects

During the same visit on 1 August 2026, the Prime Minister laid foundation stones for development projects worth over ₹17,900 crore across Andhra Pradesh. The airport is also described as one of the fastest-completed greenfield international airports in India.