Visakhapatnam, July 29 (IANS) Commercial flight operations at Visakhapatnam Airport will cease from August 17, with all services shifting to the newly developed Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport at Bhogapuram in Vizianagaram district.
According to a notification issued by the Ministry of Civil Aviation, commercial operations at the Civil Enclave at Visakhapatnam Airport (INS Dega) will be closed with the commissioning of the Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport, Bhogapuram, with effect from 00.01 hours on August 17.
The notification says that the commercial operations at the Civil Enclave at Visakhapatnam Airport (INS Dega) will be for 30 years, except for airport activity at time of national emergency or by aircraft owned or operated by or for the Indian Air Force or other Armed Forces of India or police or any such other authorities or for transportation of dignitaries by special Government owned, leased or hired VIP aircraft.
The International Air Transport Code “VTZ” for the existing Visakhapatnam Airport will be transferred to Bhogapuram International Greenfield Airport from 00.01 hours of August 17. The Ministry of Civil Aviation also notified that Bhogapuram Greenfield Airport is renamed as ‘Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport’ with immediate effect.
The new airport is set to be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on August 1. Built at a cost of nearly Rs 4,727 crore, the airport is ready to commence commercial operations.
According to officials, Bhogapuram is among the fastest-completed Greenfield international airports in India, completed within 31 months, nearly five months ahead of schedule.
The airport has already secured the DGCA aerodrome licence, along with all required safety, fire and environmental clearances.
The airport has been designed to handle 6 million passengers annually in the first phase, with a master plan to expand capacity to 40 million passengers annually in the future. The project is expected to play a pivotal role in boosting economic growth, tourism, industrial investment, exports, logistics, and the aerospace and defence sectors across the erstwhile Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram, and Srikakulam districts.
The integrated project spans 2,703.26 acres, including 2,203.32 acres for the airport, 500 acres for the aviation hub, and 136.63 acres for Aviation University/EduCity. The project includes comprehensive airside infrastructure, commercial development, residential zones and approach roads.
The airport’s 3,800-metre Code-E runway, capable of handling wide-body aircraft such as the Boeing 777, Boeing 787 Dreamliner, Airbus A330 and Airbus A340. The airport is also equipped with advanced airfield lighting, navigation aids and CNS/ATM infrastructure to support both domestic and international operations.
The terminal incorporates advanced passenger processing technologies including contact boarding bridges, Common Use Passenger Processing System (CUPPS), self-baggage drop, self-service passenger processing, smart surveillance, access control systems, security management systems, Integrated Operational Control and Monitoring Centre.
–IANS
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