Andhra Pradesh seeks July 5 date from PMO for Bhogapuram airport inauguration

VIZIANAGARAM: 

Andhra Pradesh government has reportedly requested the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) to confirm July 5, 2026, for the inauguration of the international airport built at Bhogapuram in Vizianagaram district. The State government is hopeful that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will accept the invitation and inaugurate the airport on that day.

Vizianagaram District Collector S. Ramsundar Reddy, Joint Collector S. Sedhu Madhavan and other officials are making arrangements for the inauguration of the project, which is expected to spur economic activity in the north Andhra region, given its location and the connectivity it provides to Vizianagaram, Srikakulam and Visakhapatnam districts.

“We are going to make arrangements with state-of-the-art facilities for the inauguration of the airport. We are just waiting for the confirmation of the Prime Minister’s Office’s consent. As the airport is fully ready for its functioning, the PMO may confirm July 5th or it may suggest alternate days as per the schedule of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi. We are prepared for any date,” a senior official of the State government said, seeking anonymity.

The GMR Group built the airport at an estimated cost of ₹5,000 crore on 2,200 acres acquired by the State government. The group expects to handle nearly six million passengers a year at the airport, which has been named the Alluri Sitharama Raju International Airport, after the freedom fighter. The terminal, built over 77,000 square metres, will have 40 check-in counters and 26 immigration counters.

In a press release, Andhra Pradesh Air Travellers Association vice-president Oruganti Naresh Kumar urged the Civil Aviation Ministry to take steps to operate flights to Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Thailand and other countries. He also requested the government to enter into fixed-fare agreements with reputed taxi and bike operators across the country to reduce the burden on air passengers travelling from Visakhapatnam and other parts of the State.