Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurates the Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport at Bhogapuram in Andhra Pradesh. Multiple outlets report the airport’s development by GMR Group and cite an overall project cost of nearly Rs 5,000 crore, with one source mentioning Rs 5,640 crore. The inauguration includes opening the terminal building and an on-site inspection of the facility, with the Andhra Pradesh Governor S Abdul Nazeer and Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu attending.
The airport is described as a greenfield project built to improve air connectivity and support regional economic activity, including tourism and employment. Sources also note that it includes a modern terminal and a runway sized to accommodate wide-body aircraft. One outlet states the airport begins commercial operations on August 17.
The new facility is also reported to replace an existing naval enclave airfield at Visakhapatnam, shifting operations to the newly built airport at Bhogapuram.
