{"id":23375,"date":"2026-07-30T11:23:23","date_gmt":"2026-07-30T05:53:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.indianeagle.com\/traveldiary\/?p=23375"},"modified":"2026-07-30T11:23:23","modified_gmt":"2026-07-30T05:53:23","slug":"visakhapatnam-airport-commercial-flights-shift-bhogapuram-august-17","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.indianeagle.com\/traveldiary\/visakhapatnam-airport-commercial-flights-shift-bhogapuram-august-17\/","title":{"rendered":"Visakhapatnam Commercial Flights to Shift to Bhogapuram’s Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport from August 17"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Source: ChatGPT<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Commercial flight operations will move from Visakhapatnam Airport to the newly developed Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport in Bhogapuram from 12:01 a.m. on August 17, 2026, the Ministry of Civil Aviation has announced. From that date, all scheduled domestic and international passenger flights will operate from the new airport in Vizianagaram district.<\/span><\/p>\n

INS Dega to Continue Military Operations<\/b><\/h2>\n

The Civil Enclave at INS Dega will stop handling commercial flights after the transition. However, the airbase will continue to operate for the Indian Air Force and remain available during national emergencies. It will also serve aircraft operated by the armed forces, police, and special government VIP flights.<\/span><\/p>\n

VTZ Code Assigned to the New Airport<\/b><\/h2>\n

The Ministry has confirmed that the IATA code “VTZ,” currently used by Visakhapatnam Airport, will be transferred to the new airport from August 17. In a separate notification, the government officially renamed Bhogapuram Greenfield Airport as Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport, with immediate effect.<\/span><\/p>\n

Inauguration Scheduled for August 1<\/b><\/h2>\n

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to inaugurate the airport on August 1. Developed at a cost of nearly Rs 4,727 crore, the project was completed in 31 months, nearly five months ahead of schedule, making it one of India’s fastest-completed Greenfield international airports. The airport has already secured the DGCA aerodrome license along with all mandatory safety, fire, and environmental clearances required to begin commercial operations.<\/span><\/p>\n

Capacity and Future Expansion Plans<\/b><\/h2>\n

The first phase has the capacity to handle 6 million passengers annually. The master plan allows expansion to 40 million passengers a year in future phases. Officials expect the airport to strengthen tourism, industrial investment, exports, logistics, and the aerospace and defence sectors across the erstwhile Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram, and Srikakulam districts.<\/span><\/p>\n

Modern Infrastructure and Passenger Facilities<\/b><\/h2>\n

The integrated project covers 2,703.26 acres, including:<\/span><\/p>\n