Swanky airport set to transform region into new growth gateway

Visakhapatnam: As the Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airportin Vizianagaram, aka Bhogapuram Airport, receives its finishing touches ahead of its inauguration by Prime Minister Narendra Modi scheduled for August 1, umpteen alluring features greet expectant eyes at the terminal.

A large digital screen displays images of famous temples of Andhra Pradesh. The ceiling exudes an old-world charm as it incorporates traditional motifs. Built to sustain severe cyclonic winds of up to 275kmph and heavy rainfall up to 27cm, the terminal’s design reflects a flying fish-inspired architecture.

Developed by GMR at a cost of Rs.4,750 crores, about 98 percent of the airport work has been completed in compliance with international standards, using modern technology and advanced infrastructure.

With 40 check-in counters, a dozen Digi Yatra pods, self-service baggage drop counters, 10 domestic and five international security screening sections, 10 e-gates, 10 immigration counters each for arrivals and departures, five domestic and two international baggage carousels, eight domestic and two international bus gates, retail outlets, food courts, airline offices and commercial spaces; the terminal is certain to cater to the diverse needs of both domestic and foreign passengers in every possible way.

Spread across 2,203 acres, the airport features a 3,800-metre-long, 45-metre-wide CAT-I runway capable of handling Airbus and Boeing aircraft, and a 79,000 sq. m. two-level passenger terminal, a 5,000-sq.m. cargo terminal with an annual handling capacity of 25,000 tonnes, a 55-metre-high ATC tower with 11,000 sqm built-up area, a 25-acre maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facility with hangars, aircraft wash bays and engine run-up areas.

Developed in three different phases, the airport will handle six million passengers per annum (MPPA) initially. Its master plan allows for phased expansion to handle over 40 million passengers annually, enabling it to meet growing future demand. A 3,800-metre Code-E runway will allow operations of wide-body international aircraft, creating opportunities for enhanced domestic and international connectivity.

Phase I of the project has been developed across 2,203 acres. The infrastructure includes a modern passenger terminal, Air Traffic Control (ATC) tower, parallel taxiway, rapid exit taxiways, aircraft apron, airfield ground lighting, fuel hydrant system, utilities, landside infrastructure and a 5,000-sq. m. cargo terminal, enabling the airport to support both passenger and cargo operations.

With clear timeframes set for infrastructure completion, the Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport in Bhogapuram is preparing for its inauguration. The new airport with sophisticated features serves as a major milestone in Andhra Pradesh’s aviation landscape.

39th ICP tag

Days after receiving the aerodrome licence, the Union Government notified the ASR International Airport as an authorised immigration check-post under the Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025. Considered mandatory for airports catering to international operations, the new airport falls under the 39th Immigration Check Post slot under category I (Airports) in the national registry. After Visakhapatnam and Tirupati, Bhogapuram is the third airport in Andhra Pradesh to receive the ICP tag.

At a time when infrastructure connecting Visakhapatnam passengers to Bhogapuram gains momentum, concerns mount over the hours and money spent to travel over the 45-km distance each time to reach the airport and return home.

For quite a long time, Visakhapatnam north constituency MLA P. Vishnu Kumar Raju has been repeatedly voicing his views to retain Visakhapatnam Airport for at least domestic services. “It is not the world-class infrastructure which is the need of the hour. More than 98 percent of people from Vizag want the existing airport in the city to continue even as the new one becomes operational because of the easy accessibility and convenience,” he reiterated.

However, former MP and BJP leader GVL Narasimha Rao opined that after initial resistance, Vizag people will eventually adapt to the distance required to travel to the new airport. “But it takes a little time to accept change. However, the infrastructure to reach the new airport should be readied well in advance so that the journey from Visakhapatnam to Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport becomes seamless once operations commence,” he suggested, adding that he always felt Visakhapatnam deserves an airport on a par with metro cities.

Even the slightest hope that the Visakhapatnam Airport might continue domestic operations was dashed as the tariff order issued by the Airports Economic Regulatory Authority (AERA) clearly indicates shifting civilian air traffic to the new Bhogapuram Airport.

According to the tariff order, commercial flight services currently operated at the Visakhapatnam Airport by the Indian Navy (INS Dega) will come to a screeching halt once the Bhogapuram International Airport becomes operational, with all civilian air traffic proposed to shift to the new facility. The order, issued for GMR Visakhapatnam International Airport Limited (GVIAL), approves an adhoc tariff structure. This structure will take effect from the airport’s Commercial Operation Date (COD) and remain in force until regular aeronautical tariffs are determined. The tariff framework provides details of charges that will be levied on both passengers and airlines using the airport. Domestic passengers departing from Bhogapuram will pay a User Development Fee (UDF) of Rs.835, while arriving passengers will be charged Rs.355. For international passengers, the UDF is fixed at Rs.1,255 for departure and Rs. 545 for arrival. The order also specifies charges payable by airlines for using airport infrastructure. Domestic carriers will be charged landing fees of Rs 1,400 per metric tonne (MT) of an aircraft’s maximum take-off weight, while international airlines will pay Rs 1,975 per MT.

Commercial validation

Terming the airport as a historic milestone in the growth journey of Andhra Pradesh, Minister of Civil Aviation Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu highlighted, “Visakhapatnam is set to become the economic capital of the East. Bhogapuram Airport will serve as an effective growth engine in creating employment opportunities, catalysing regional industries and enhancing connectivity for people and businesses alike as it strengthens trade, boosts exports, and unlocks the immense tourism potential of Andhra Pradesh.”

“With world-class infrastructure, this airport will accelerate economic development, attract investment, and place the region on the global aviation and commerce map,” the Union Aviation Minister observed, exuded confidence, while assuring that the Bhogapuram Airport is very much ahead of the timeline set earlier.

‘Larger-than-life’ infra projects

The Raipur-Visakhapatnam Expressway (NH-130CD), a six-lane greenfield highway, is under development. Once it becomes a reality, there is a large scope for north Andhra to become a logistics hub as the time taken to reach Odisha, Chhattisgarh, and Andhra Pradesh will be reduced by almost half. Following the launch of the Bhogapuram Airport, the region is certain to become a thriving industrial gateway not just for Andhra Pradesh but also for the country.

To make this a reality, experts suggest that the state government should simultaneously speed up the coastal corridor along with the about-to-complete Mulapeta Port and Raipur-Visakhapatnam Expressway (NH-130CD) so that, together with the recently-established South Coast Railway Zone, the north Andhra region unlocks massive logistical and industrial potential. These ‘larger-than-life’ infrastructure projects aid in the collective transformation of the three districts of north Andhra -- Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram and Srikakulam, enhancing connectivity in a seamless fashion and eventually becoming a highly-competitive economic powerhouse. Also, the Chandrababu Naidu-led NDA government in Andhra Pradesh is according top priority to the Visakhapatnam Economic Region (VER) as it aims to scale the GDP to $900 billion by 2047. To realise this ambitious goal with coordinated execution and sustainability, ASR International Airport plays a critical part.