Bhogapuram & ASR Airport FAQ

The official name is Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport, shortened to ASR International Airport. The Ministry of Civil Aviation confirmed the renaming in a gazette notification in July 2026; until then the project was known as Bhogapuram International Airport or the Bhogapuram Greenfield Airport. It is named after Alluri Sitarama Raju, the tribal freedom fighter of Andhra Pradesh, and it operates under the IATA code VTZ.

Yes. Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport at Bhogapuram is open. It was inaugurated on 1 August 2026 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and scheduled commercial flights began on 17 August 2026 under the IATA code VTZ. The old Visakhapatnam civil enclave at INS Dega no longer handles scheduled passenger flights.

2026. The airport was inaugurated on 1 August 2026 and started scheduled commercial flights on 17 August 2026. Main construction ran from November 2023 through 2026.

Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport is situated at Bhogapuram in Vizianagaram district, Andhra Pradesh, India, off National Highway 16, PIN 535216, about 40 to 45 km north-east of Visakhapatnam. Coordinates are approximately 17°58′34″N 83°30′14″E.

Vizianagaram district, Andhra Pradesh — not Visakhapatnam district. Tickets often still say Visakhapatnam (VTZ) because that IATA city label transferred with the code on 17 August 2026.

Visakhapatnam (Vizag) is the nearest major city, about 40 to 45 km away. Vizianagaram town is closer by drive time, roughly 20 to 30 minutes. Bheemunipatnam (Bhimli) is about 30 minutes, and Srikakulam about 75 to 85 km north on NH-16.

Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport (ASR International Airport, IATA: VTZ) is at Bhogapuram in Vizianagaram district, Andhra Pradesh, PIN code 535216. The site lies on the coastal belt between Visakhapatnam and Srikakulam, roughly 40 to 45 km north-east of Visakhapatnam city and about an hour by road along NH-16. The airport occupies 2,203 acres, including around 500 acres held back for future expansion.

Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport at Bhogapuram was inaugurated on Saturday, 1 August 2026 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Scheduled commercial flights began a fortnight later, on Sunday, 17 August 2026, when the IATA code VTZ transferred across from the existing Visakhapatnam airport. The inauguration date and the first-flight date are two separate events, two weeks apart.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport at Bhogapuram on Saturday, 1 August 2026. The Prime Minister arrived at 10:45 am, walked through the terminal from about 11:00 am, inaugurated the airport at around 11:30 am and addressed a public meeting until 12:55 pm before departing at 1:10 pm. Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan, Governor S. Abdul Nazeer and Union Civil Aviation Minister K. Ram Mohan Naidu attended.

Alongside Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport, Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicated development projects worth over ₹17,900 crore across Andhra Pradesh on 1 August 2026. The ceremony at Bhogapuram was staged on a large scale, with roughly 13,000 to 13,500 tribal women and students performing the traditional Dhimsa dance of the Eastern Ghats for the assembled dignitaries and the public gathering.

The IATA code is VTZ and the ICAO code is VOVI. VTZ transferred from the existing Visakhapatnam airport at 12:01 am on 17 August 2026. If you are booking a flight to or from Visakhapatnam after that date, VTZ means Bhogapuram rather than the civil enclave at INS Dega.

Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport has a single 3,800 m Code 4E runway, among the longest in India, with a full-length parallel taxiway. It is equipped with a CAT I Instrument Landing System and advanced LED airfield lighting. The runway and apron are built for wide-body aircraft, including the Boeing 777, the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, the Airbus A350 and the Airbus A330.

Phase 1 of Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport has a 78,000 sq m integrated passenger terminal that uses regional heritage design motifs, plus a separate 5,000 sq m cargo terminal rated at about 25,000 metric tonnes of freight a year. The terminal's glass façade is engineered to withstand cyclonic winds of up to 275 kmph, which matters on this stretch of the Bay of Bengal coast.

Phase 1 of Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport is designed for 6 million passengers a year. The master plan then steps up to 12 million passengers in Phase 2 and 18 million in Phase 3, with an ultimate design capacity of more than 40 million passengers a year. That roadmap is why 2,203 acres were acquired and around 500 acres reserved for expansion.

Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport is developed and operated by GMR Visakhapatnam International Airport Limited (GVIAL), a subsidiary of GMR Airports, part of the GMR Group. The project was awarded on a Public-Private Partnership basis under a DBFOT — design, build, finance, operate and transfer — concession, so GMR runs the airport commercially for the length of the concession period.

The project cost of Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport at Bhogapuram is reported at ₹5,640 crore, although some reports cite around ₹4,700 crore for the core project scope, depending on what is counted. It was built under a Public-Private Partnership on a DBFOT basis by GMR Visakhapatnam International Airport Limited rather than being funded entirely from the public purse.

Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport is the first international airport built in Andhra Pradesh after the 2014 state bifurcation, and it replaces a civil enclave inside a naval air station with a full commercial airport that has room to grow. It runs an AI-enabled Airport Operations Control Centre, biometric passenger processing and automated baggage handling, and GMR plans an aerotropolis around the site, with proposals for an aviation university and hospitality development.

Scheduled commercial flights started from Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport at Bhogapuram on Sunday, 17 August 2026. The IATA code VTZ moved across from the existing Visakhapatnam airport at 12:01 am that day. The first arrival was IndiGo 6E 6408 from Hyderabad. Always confirm the departure airport shown on your booking before you travel.

The Visakhapatnam civil enclave at INS Dega stops handling scheduled commercial flights from 17 August 2026, and is set to stay closed to scheduled commercial operations for 30 years. Non-scheduled and charter movements continue there, and INS Dega remains an operational military air station. All scheduled passenger traffic for Visakhapatnam shifts to Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport at Bhogapuram.

Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport at Bhogapuram is approximately 40 to 45 km from Visakhapatnam city, which is roughly an hour by road on NH-16 in normal traffic. The drive takes longer in peak hours through Madhurawada and Anandapuram, so allow a buffer. Bhogapuram lies in Vizianagaram district, north-east of Visakhapatnam along the coast towards Srikakulam.

The only practical way to reach Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport at Bhogapuram is by road. Most travellers take NH-16 north-east from Visakhapatnam via Madhurawada and Anandapuram, about an hour by taxi, app cab or private vehicle. The coastal Bhimli beach road is a slower, more scenic alternative. Book your pick-up the night before for early-morning departures and allow extra time in the monsoon.

There is no railway station in Bhogapuram itself. The nearest usable stations are Vizianagaram Junction (VZM) and Nellimarla, both around a 20 to 30 minute drive from Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport. Visakhapatnam Junction is the largest station in the region but sits about an hour away by road. Plan a taxi or a pre-booked transfer for the last leg of the journey.

Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport has kerbside drop-off and on-site car parking as part of its Phase 1 landside plan, alongside the 78,000 sq m passenger terminal. Detailed parking tariffs and long-stay options had not been published by the operator, GMR Visakhapatnam International Airport Limited, as of 31 July 2026. If you are leaving a car for several days, confirm current rates with the operator first.

IndiGo, Air India, Air India Express, Scoot and India One Air have offered flights from Bhogapuram since 17 August 2026. IndiGo operated the first arrival from Hyderabad and flies Abu Dhabi; Scoot operates Singapore; Air India shifted its Visakhapatnam network including Delhi. Confirm live timings on the airline website — routes change.

Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport is designated an international airport and is physically built for long-haul operations: a 3,800 m Code 4E runway, a CAT I Instrument Landing System, and a terminal sized for 6 million passengers a year that can handle Boeing 777, Boeing 787, Airbus A350 and Airbus A330 aircraft. Specific international routes depend on airline announcements, so confirm with the carrier.

Bhogapuram itself is still semi-rural and has very little branded hotel stock, so most travellers stay in one of three clusters: Bheemunipatnam (Bhimli), the closest beach town to the airport corridor; Rushikonda, which has the resorts; or Visakhapatnam city, about an hour away, which offers the widest choice of business and budget hotels. Vizianagaram town is a practical low-cost base close to the terminal.

Budget rooms listed on OYO around Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport are concentrated in Vizianagaram town, Bhimli and Visakhapatnam rather than in Bhogapuram village itself. Quality varies a great deal between properties, so read recent reviews, confirm by phone that the property is accepting your booking, and check the real road distance to the airport rather than the straight-line distance shown in the app.

Homestays, serviced apartments and villas listed on Airbnb near Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport are mostly in Bhimli, Rushikonda and Visakhapatnam, with a small number of farm-stay style properties along the Bhogapuram and Tagarapuvalasa corridor. Confirm the cancellation policy, ask whether the host arranges airport transfers, and check the actual driving time on NH-16 before you book anything.

For beach and quiet, stay at Bheemunipatnam (Bhimli), the closest beach town to Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport. For resorts and sea views, choose Rushikonda. For the widest hotel choice, restaurants and business facilities, stay in Visakhapatnam city, roughly an hour away on NH-16. For an inexpensive bed close to both the airport and the railway, Vizianagaram town works well.

For a departure before 8 am from Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport, stay within about 30 minutes of the terminal — Bhimli, Vizianagaram town, or the Tagarapuvalasa and Bhogapuram stretch of NH-16 — rather than in central Visakhapatnam, which is roughly an hour away. Confirm 24-hour reception, ask about early check-out, and book your cab the previous evening.

Yes. Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport is approximately 40 to 45 km from Visakhapatnam city, about an hour by road on NH-16. Staying in Visakhapatnam is comfortable for daytime flights and gives you far more hotel and restaurant choice. For very early departures, leave at least two and a half hours before your flight to absorb traffic through Madhurawada and Anandapuram.

Land along the Bhogapuram airport corridor is quoted at around ₹22,000 per square yard, with nearby Denkada closer to ₹15,000 per square yard. Plot rates broadly run between ₹1,450 and ₹2,050 per square foot, and the average flat rate is about ₹1,800 per square foot. These are market estimates from local listings and brokers, not official rates, so verify current prices before committing.

Land prices in key pockets around Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport rose roughly 20 to 30 per cent after the airport's validation flight, and about 12.5 per cent over the past year. Realtors project a compound annual growth rate of 18 to 22 per cent to 2028. Treat that projection as an estimate from interested parties rather than a guarantee — much of the near-term news is already in the price.

As an indicative guide, a 1,000 sq ft residential plot in the Bhogapuram belt works out at roughly ₹18 lakh, a 2BHK flat at about ₹16.2 lakh and a 1BHK at about ₹10.8 lakh, based on prevailing per-square-foot rates. Prices vary sharply with approval status, road frontage and distance from NH-16, so treat these as starting points for negotiation rather than fixed rates.

The active corridors around Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport are Bhogapuram itself, Denkada, Natavalasa, Nellimarla, Kothavalasa, Tagarapuvalasa, Anandapuram and the Bheemili (Bhimli) belt, plus frontage along NH-16. Denkada is cheaper than Bhogapuram; Anandapuram and Tagarapuvalasa are closer to Visakhapatnam and more developed. Proximity to NH-16 and to the pharma hubs at Pusapatirega and Pydibhimavaram supports rental demand.

Bhogapuram is a five to seven year play, not a ready-to-move suburb. The catalysts are real: a 6 million passenger airport, GMR's planned aerotropolis, and pharmaceutical employment at Pusapatirega and Pydibhimavaram. But the area is still semi-rural, social infrastructure lags, and prices have already moved 20 to 30 per cent in key pockets. Buy approved land you can afford to hold, not a quick flip.

Insist on a VMRDA-approved layout and, for anything sold as a project by a developer, RERA registration. Verify the title chain and confirm that the permitted land use matches what you intend to build. Prefer CREDAI Vizianagaram member developers, have every document examined by an independent local advocate, and never rely on a brochure, a layout board or a broker's verbal assurance.

The main risks are unapproved layouts sold as approved, unclear titles on converted agricultural land, and paying a price that already assumes years of future growth after the 20 to 30 per cent run-up. Bhogapuram is semi-rural, so rental yields are thin and resale can be slow. Treat any purchase as illiquid capital you can leave untouched for five to seven years.

Bhogapuram is far cheaper. The average flat rate in the Bhogapuram belt is around ₹1,800 per square foot, against roughly ₹5,200 per square foot across Visakhapatnam city. You pay about a third of the price, and in exchange you take on the risk that the airport-driven growth story plays out over the next five to seven years rather than immediately.

Bhogapuram is a coastal mandal in Vizianagaram district in the north of Andhra Pradesh, on the Bay of Bengal between Visakhapatnam and Srikakulam. It sits about 40 to 45 km north-east of Visakhapatnam city along NH-16, roughly an hour by road, and is now best known as the site of Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport.

Bhogapuram is in Vizianagaram district, Andhra Pradesh, and its PIN code is 535216. The area is part of North Andhra, also called Uttarandhra, the region made up of Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram and Srikakulam districts. The nearest large town is Vizianagaram, about 20 to 30 minutes away by road, and the nearest big city is Visakhapatnam.

Bhogapuram is known today for Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport, Andhra Pradesh's first international airport built after the 2014 state bifurcation. Before the airport it was a quiet coastal mandal of farmland and fishing villages. The wider belt also has pharmaceutical manufacturing at Pusapatirega and Pydibhimavaram, and the old beach town of Bheemunipatnam (Bhimli) lies just down the coast.

The closest attractions to Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport are Bheemunipatnam (Bhimli) beach and, in Vizianagaram, the 15-acre bow-shaped Ramanarayanam temple complex and Vizianagaram Fort. Within a two to three hour drive are Simhachalam temple, Borra Caves in the Ananthagiri hills about 88 km from Visakhapatnam, Araku Valley at 115 to 120 km, and the Srikakulam temples at Srikurmam and Arasavalli.

Yes. Bheemunipatnam, usually called Bhimli, is the closest beach town to the Bhogapuram airport corridor and an easy drive from the terminal. Further south towards Visakhapatnam are Rushikonda, RK Beach and Yarada. North along the coast in Srikakulam district lie the quieter beaches of Kalingapatnam and Baruva. Currents on this coast can be strong, so swim only where the beach is supervised.

The comfortable season on the North Andhra coast runs from October to February, when the weather is dry and mild — the right window for Bhimli, Rushikonda and the Vizianagaram and Srikakulam temples. Araku Valley and Borra Caves are pleasant for most of the year, and Lambasingi, the coldest place in Andhra Pradesh, is at its best in December and January.