PM Modi Inaugurates AP First Greenfield International Airport at Bhogapuram

A new chapter has begun in the aviation history of Andhra Pradesh. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday inaugurated the state's first greenfield international airport. Developed by the GMR Group under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model, the airport is located at Bhogapuram in Vizianagaram district. The airport has been built across 2,700 acres with an initial capacity to handle six million passengers annually. In the future, it can be expanded to accommodate up to 40 million passengers per year. The first phase of the project was developed at a cost of ₹4,750 crore. Equipped with state-of-the-art facilities, Bhogapuram International Airport will become operational for passengers from midnight on August 17. Prime Minister Modi was accompanied at the inauguration by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan, Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu, and other state ministers. During the event, the Prime Minister inspected the largest video wall installed inside the international terminal building. Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu explained the visuals displayed on the wall, which showcased various pilgrimage sites, the history of Andhra Pradesh, and the cultural heritage of North Andhra. Modi also viewed several artworks displayed across the airport premises.

The Prime Minister travelled in an open-top jeep and watched a Dhimsa dance performance presented by 13,500 tribal women. Along with inaugurating Bhogapuram International Airport, Prime Minister Modi also launched development projects worth ₹18,000 crore across Andhra Pradesh. Addressing the gathering, Modi said his government is developing new airports and strengthening infrastructure across the country. He remarked that Bhogapuram Airport would serve as a runway for the development of North Andhra. He noted that India had only 74 airports before 2014, but after his government came to power, the number has increased to 166. He added that the UDAN scheme has brought significant changes to the country's aviation sector, making air travel affordable and accessible even to the poor and middle-class sections of society.