Modi opens Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport in Bhogapuram, Andhra Pradesh, on August 1, 2026, marking the commencement of a major infrastructure project designed to transform the state's north coastal region. During his visit to Vizianagaram, the Prime Minister also announced the inauguration, rollout, and foundation stone laying of a series of development projects valued at approximately 18,000 crore rupees, framing the day as a significant milestone for the state's progress.

The newly opened airport is a greenfield facility developed under a public-private partnership model by GMR Visakhapatnam International Airport Limited at a cost exceeding 5,640 crore rupees. It has been designed with an initial annual capacity to handle six million passengers, a figure planned for future expansion to 40 million. Commercial flight operations are scheduled to begin on August 17, at which point civil operations will cease at the existing Visakhapatnam airport. Officials have stated the airport was completed several months ahead of schedule.

The passenger terminal incorporates advanced infrastructure and sustainable features intended to provide a...