A revolutionary legacy takes flight at India's newest greenfield airport
In short: For years, the region's aviation was constrained by a military naval station that couldn't spare slots for commercial growth. Now, a massive public-private partnership has replaced those limitations with a dedicated international hub, named after a legendary freedom fighter to honor the local history of resistance.
The development of the Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport was born from a long-standing need to move beyond the limitations of the existing civil enclave at INS Dega. Because the Indian Navy prioritized military activities, the site could only offer restricted international flights and lacked the capacity for significant commercial expansion. This bottleneck prompted the Government of Andhra Pradesh to seek a greenfield solution as early as 1997, exploring various sites before settling on Bhogapuram.
The project's journey was marked by significant political and social friction. Proposed in the 2015-16 budget by N. Chandrababu Naidu, the site faced intense opposition from critics who argued it would harm local farmers and suggested expanding the old airport instead. Despite these challenges, the Ministry of Civil Aviation gave the green light in late 2015. By 2016, the state had secured 2,703 acres of land, though further acquisitions faced delays due to local protests. The project eventually moved forward as a public-private partnership with GMR Visakhapatnam International Airport Limited.
The airport is designed for massive scale, with a first phase costing ₹45.92 billion (US$480 million). While the initial terminal can handle 6.3 million passengers annually, the three-phase plan aims to eventually accommodate up to 18 million. It features a 3,800-meter asphalt runway and a 77,342 m2 passenger terminal. In a symbolic move in September 2024, the state cabinet officially named the facility after Alluri Sitarama Raju, a revolutionary figure from the region, anchoring the modern infrastructure in local history.
The transition was completed in August 2026, when commercial services were officially moved from the old naval-adjacent site to the new hub. This shift marks a 30-year agreement with the Indian Navy to phase out civilian operations from the old station, ensuring that the new airport serves as the primary gateway for the Visakhapatnam Metropolitan Region.
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