Visakhapatnam, July 29, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Commercial flight operations at Visakhapatnam Airport will be shifted to the newly developed Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport at Bhogapuram from August 17, following a notification issued by the Ministry of Civil Aviation.
According to the notification, commercial operations at the Civil Enclave of Visakhapatnam Airport (INS Dega) will cease from 12:01 a.m. on August 17 with the commissioning of the new airport in Vizianagaram district.
The ministry clarified that while commercial passenger services will move to Bhogapuram, the existing airport at INS Dega will continue to be available for military operations, including aircraft operated by the Indian Air Force, other armed forces, police, emergency services and government-operated VIP flights.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) airport code “VTZ”, currently assigned to Visakhapatnam Airport, will also be transferred to the Bhogapuram facility from the same date. The Centre has simultaneously notified the renaming of Bhogapuram Greenfield Airport as Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to inaugurate the airport on August 1. Developed at an estimated cost of ₹4,727 crore, the airport has been completed in 31 months, nearly five months ahead of schedule, according to officials.
The airport has secured the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) aerodrome licence along with all mandatory safety, fire and environmental clearances, paving the way for the commencement of commercial operations.
In its first phase, the airport has the capacity to handle six million passengers annually, with future expansion planned to accommodate up to 40 million passengers a year. The project is expected to strengthen tourism, trade, logistics, industrial investment and the aerospace and defence sectors across the erstwhile Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram and Srikakulam districts.
Spread across 2,703.26 acres, the integrated development includes 2,203.32 acres for the airport, 500 acres for an aviation hub and 136.63 acres earmarked for an Aviation University and EduCity.
The airport features a 3,800-metre Code-E runway capable of handling wide-body aircraft, including the Boeing 777, Boeing 787 Dreamliner, Airbus A330 and Airbus A340. It is also equipped with advanced navigation systems, modern passenger processing facilities, contact boarding bridges, self-service check-in and baggage systems, and an integrated operational control and monitoring centre.
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