Visakhapatnam: The first commercial validation flight landed at the Bogapuram International Airport at Vizianagaram in Alluri Sitarama Raju at 11 a.m. on Sunday.The airport is being developed by the GMR Group in Vizianagaram district, with L & T executing the civil works.

Named after freedom fighter Alluri Sitarama Raju, the airport is designed to operate round the clock and handle both domestic and international flights.

Former Chief Minister Y. S Jagan Mohan Reddy in his twitter x said that the first flight landing at Bhogapuram airport, AP will accelerates on its growth runway, marking a significant milestone for Vision Vizag.

He conveyed congratulations to the GMR Group for their exceptional efforts in completing the Bogapuram International Airport. He also said that during our tenure expedited permissions, timely approvals and land acquisition including R&R with an outlay of close to Rs 960 crore helped lay a strong foundation for steady progress. Significant portion of the project work was completed, which has been instrumental in achieving this milestone. I also fondly recall the efforts and contribution of Nitin Gadkari Ji in approving the Bhogapuram Airport Bypass National Highway project in March 2023, connecting Visakhapatnam Port with Bhogapuram International Airport.

Following this post, both the parties resorted to a slugfest. YSRCP recalled that Chandrababu Naidu had laid foundation stone for the airport in a hurry and without required permissions just before 2019 elections for the sake of votes.

YS Jagan questioned Chandrababu on taking credit in building the Bogapuram International Airport without getting any permission for that airport. He questioned that weren’t you the one who performed the foundation laying without any permissions, Chandrababu? Did you acquire the land for Bhogapuram Airport? Did you pay compensation to those who lost their lands? Did you provide rehabilitation to anyone? Did you undertake road construction? How can you claim all the glory without doing anything?

YSRCP claimed that after YS Jagan Mohan Reddy became the Chief Minister in 2019, he brought the court cases related to the airport to a close. It reminded the Chandrababu Naidu that YSRCP Government paid compensation ranging from Rs 28 lakh to 36 lakh per acre.

It was Jagan Government that completed the second phase of land acquisition for the construction of the link road and trumpet-shaped flyover to enable direct access from Chennai-Kolkata National Highway to the airport. Isn’t it a fact that all permissions were obtained for the construction of Bhogapuram International Airport, and on May 3^rd, 2023, Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy performed the ground-breaking ceremony?

In the first phase, the terminal is planned to handle six million passengers annually, with provisions for expansion up to 18 million passengers per year in the future. The terminal is designed to manage approximately 2,500 passengers per hour and will be equipped with more than 10 aerobridges. Paperless passenger processing using facial recognition technology has also been planned.

A 3.8-km-long runway has been constructed to accommodate wide-body aircraft, including the Airbus A380 and Boeing 747-8. The first phase of the project involves an estimated investment of Rs 4,592 crore. Sustainability features such as solar power generation and rainwater harvesting systems have been incorporated, and the airport is targeting a LEED Gold certification. The concessionaire will operate and maintain the facility for 40 years.

To improve access to the airport, multiple road connectivity projects are under way, including a trumpet interchange on National Highway-16, flyovers, and highway upgrades. A coastal corridor linking Visakhapatnam, Bheemili, and Bhogapuram is also planned. An aviation education city spread over 136 acres has been proposed near the airport.

After landing the validation flight, Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu said that when the aircraft touched down, the pilot announced the welcome to Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport. It was a moment of pride and the fulfillment of a long-standing dream. In four to five months, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to officially inaugurate the airport, he added.

The Air India Airbus A320, AI-3198 aircraft arrived from New Delhi as part of trial operations. Union Civil Aviation Minister K. Ram Mohan Naidu, Vizianagaram MP Kalisetti Appala Naidu, and senior officials from the AAI and the DGCA were on board the flight.

TDP claimed the credit for the airport, Opposition YSRCP called Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu credit chor.