The record
Written from the 1 report below. Nothing here is unsourced.
- The Centre has decided to end scheduled commercial operations at the existing Visakhapatnam Airport and transfer its IATA code, VTZ, to the new Alluri Sitarama Raju International Greenfield Airport at Bhogapuram in Andhra Pradesh.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to inaugurate the Bhogapuram airport on August 1, with commercial operations expected to begin on August 17, 2026.
- According to a civil aviation ministry notification, the civil enclave at Visakhapatnam Airport (INS Dega) will remain closed for scheduled commercial operations for 30 years, though non-scheduled flights and military, police, and government aircraft are exempt.
- This closure is unusual in India, where cities like Delhi, Mumbai, and Goa operate multiple airports, and it matters because the country's fast-growing domestic aviation market relies on expanding airport capacity.
What to watch next
- Whether the Bhogapuram airport opens on schedule on August 17, 2026
- How airlines shift schedules and operations from Visakhapatnam to Bhogapuram
- Any moves to revise or revisit the 30-year closure of the Visakhapatnam civil enclave
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1 report
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All filed from India
Named India · INS Dega · Visakhapatnam airport · Alluri Sitarama Raju International Greenfield Airport · Andhra Pradesh · Bhogapuram · Government of India · International Air Transport Association · Ministry of Civil Aviation · Narendra Modi
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