PM Modi Inaugurates Andhra Pradesh Airport, Pledges Support for Economic Region

Prime Minister Narendra Modi marked a significant milestone for Andhra Pradesh on Saturday by inaugurating the Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport at Bhogapuram. He also pledged the central government's full support for the upcoming Visakhapatnam Economic Region, envisioning it as a major Asian economic hub and a catalyst for the state's development.

Modi described the day as historic for Andhra Pradesh's 'Swarna Andhra Vision.' He paid tribute to freedom fighter Alluri Sitarama Raju, after whom the airport is named, recognizing his sacrifices for tribal communities. The Prime Minister emphasized the government's commitment to developing infrastructure and ecosystems to attract investment, generate employment, boost production and exports, and ultimately improve citizens' quality of life.

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Investment leads to production, production leads to exports, exports create employment, and employment transforms people’s lives. This is the development model the NDA government is pursuing.

Projects worth approximately ₹18,000 crore were launched, including the new international airport, which Modi called a "runway and launch pad" for North Andhra's youth, promising enhanced employment and regional development. He pointed to the dramatic increase in India's airport infrastructure, stating the number of operational airports has grown from 74 before 2014 to 166 currently. The UDAN regional connectivity scheme has also facilitated air travel for millions of first-time passengers, extending air connectivity to smaller towns.

The Bhogapuram airport, dubbed the "Gateway to North Andhra," was constructed in a record 31 months at a cost of nearly ₹4,727 crore. Designed initially for six million passengers annually, it has a master plan for future expansion to 40 million. The project is anticipated to significantly drive economic growth, tourism, industrial investment, exports, and the aerospace and defense sectors in the region. Modi also noted the state's "double-engine government," referring to the combined efforts of the central NDA administration and the state government led by Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, to accelerate development.

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Air connectivity had expanded to smaller towns, while the UDAN regional connectivity scheme had enabled millions of first-time passengers to travel by air.