India has officially opened Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport as a new gateway for eastern India.
Earlier this month, Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India inaugurated Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport (Bhogapuram) at Vizag, marking a major milestone for India’s aviation infrastructure and strengthening Andhra Pradesh’s role as an economic and connectivity hub in India.
The airport has been developed across 2,200 acres by GMR Visakhapatnam International Airport Limited under a public-private partnership model and will begin commercial operations on 17 August after being completed ahead of schedule.
The airport is designed to improve connectivity across northern Andhra Pradesh and southern Odisha, while supporting trade, tourism, exports and investment. GMR said the project would help strengthen Visakhapatnam’s growing position as a technology and logistics destination.
According to GMR, major companies including Microsoft, Google and Reliance have announced plans for nearby data centre investments, with the airport expected to support employment and wider economic development across the region.
The integrated passenger terminal, inspired by the locally found flying fish “Parava meenu”, covers 77,342 square metres and has an initial capacity of 6 million passengers annually, with room to expand beyond 40 million. It includes self-service check-in, e-gates, advanced baggage handling systems and DigiYatra integration, while an Airport Predictive Operations Centre uses AI-driven analytics to improve operational visibility.
The airfield includes a 3,800-metre Code 4E runway, a parallel taxiway, rapid exit taxiways, 18 aircraft stands and a 55-metre air traffic control tower, providing capacity for future airline growth.
Sustainability has also been embedded throughout the development, with energy-efficient systems, natural lighting and a 5 MW solar power plant supporting lower-carbon operations.
The wider project extends beyond the airport itself, incorporating a 154-acre Aerocity, a residential township, industrial zones and an aerospace hub designed to attract manufacturing, logistics and aviation-related businesses.
G B S Raju, Business Chairman of GMR Airports Limited, said the airport had been developed with a long-term vision to unlock opportunities in tourism, cargo and aviation-linked industries.
SGK Kishore, Executive Director and Chief Innovation Officer at GMR Airports, added that the project combines technology, sustainability and operational excellence to create a future-ready gateway for eastern India.
Kanwarbir Singh Kalra, Chief Executive Officer of GMR Visakhapatnam International Airport Limited, said the airport had been built ahead of schedule and would focus on delivering world-class safety, sustainability and passenger service standards as commercial operations begin.
The airport has also been engineered for resilience against severe coastal weather conditions, with the terminal designed to withstand wind speeds of up to 275 kmph and the air traffic control tower capable of withstanding winds reaching 295 kmph. Dedicated cargo facilities covering 5,000 square metres will initially handle 25,000 tonnes annually, including cold-chain capacity for pharmaceuticals, seafood and other perishable goods. These additional facilities are intended to strengthen regional supply chains and support future export growth while creating new opportunities for businesses across Andhra Pradesh and neighbouring communities.
The airport becomes GMR’s third greenfield airport in India and its seventh airport operation globally, reinforcing the company’s track record of delivering large-scale aviation infrastructure projects while supporting India’s wider ambitions for economic growth and improved regional connectivity.
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