CM Naidu Backs Bhogapuram Airport as Gateway to Uttarandhra
Synopsis
Andhra Pradesh CM Chandrababu Naidu has publicly championed the Bhogapuram International Airport — to be named after tribal freedom fighter Alluri Sitarama Raju — as the future gateway to Uttarandhra, signalling renewed momentum behind the long-pending greenfield project.
Key Takeaways
CM Chandrababu Naidu posted on 1 August 2026 backing the Bhogapuram Airport as the 'New Gateway to AP'.
The airport will be named Alluri Sitarama Raju Airport , honouring the tribal leader of the early 20th-century Rampa Rebellion.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is credited with the naming decision, per Naidu's hashtag #ModiHonoursAlluri .
The project is located in Vizianagaram district and is intended to serve the Visakhapatnam metropolitan region and all of Uttarandhra .
The airport received in-principle central approval in the mid-2010s as part of Andhra Pradesh's post-bifurcation connectivity strategy.
Construction milestones and inauguration timelines are yet to be officially confirmed.
A single pointed gesture — 'The future? Yeah… it's that way!' — and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu made clear on Saturday, 1 August 2026 exactly where he believes the region's trajectory is headed: toward the Bhogapuram International Airport, now set to carry the name of tribal freedom fighter Alluri Sitarama Raju.
Posting on X with the hashtags #NewGatewayToAP, #ModiHonoursAlluri, and #UttarandhraKalalakuRekkalu — loosely translated as 'Wings for Uttarandhra's dreams' — Naidu framed the airport not merely as a construction project but as a promise being kept to the long-underserved northern coastal belt.
Alluri Sitarama Raju Airport: A Name Carrying History
The decision to name the greenfield airport after Alluri Sitarama Raju links a 21st-century infrastructure milestone to one of the Eastern Ghats' most revered sons. Raju led the Rampa Rebellion of the early 1920s, organising tribal communities of the region against British colonial rule — a legacy that resonates deeply across Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram, and Srikakulam districts. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's association with the naming decision, flagged explicitly in Naidu's hashtag #ModiHonoursAlluri, underscores the Centre-State alignment behind the project.Bhogapuram: Uttarandhra's Long-Awaited Connectivity Bet
Located in Vizianagaram district, the Bhogapuram Airport received in-principle central government approval in the mid-2010s as part of Andhra Pradesh's post-bifurcation connectivity push. The 2014 division of the state left the successor Andhra Pradesh scrambling to build economic infrastructure from scratch, and a greenfield international airport capable of serving the Visakhapatnam metropolitan region has been central to that vision ever since. For Uttarandhra — the three northern coastal districts historically overshadowed by Hyderabad — the airport represents a direct lifeline to global trade routes and tourism investment. Naidu's post arrives as the TDP-led state government seeks to accelerate project timelines and attract airline commitments. Construction milestones and formal inauguration dates remain to be confirmed, but the Chief Minister's public framing of Bhogapuram as the 'new gateway to AP' signals that momentum is being pushed from the top. If the airport delivers on its promise, Uttarandhra stops waiting for the future — it starts building it.Point of View
And publicly crediting PM Modi to reinforce the NDA alliance's joint ownership of the project. The naming of infrastructure after regional historical figures — here, Alluri Sitarama Raju — is a well-worn but effective tool for converting a bureaucratic approval into an emotional mandate. The broader arc is Andhra Pradesh's decade-long effort to rebuild economic gravity after the 2014 bifurcation stripped it of Hyderabad; airports and ports are the visible proof points that effort is advancing.
NationPress
1 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Bhogapuram Airport and where is it located?
The Bhogapuram Airport is a planned greenfield international airport in Vizianagaram district , Andhra Pradesh, designed to serve the Visakhapatnam metropolitan region and the broader Uttarandhra area comprising Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram, and Srikakulam districts.
Why is the airport being named after Alluri Sitarama Raju?
Alluri Sitarama Raju was an early 20th-century tribal freedom fighter from the Eastern Ghats who led the Rampa Rebellion against British rule. Naming the airport after him honours his legacy and connects the infrastructure project to the region's history. PM Modi is credited with the naming decision.
What did CM Chandrababu Naidu say about Bhogapuram Airport?
On 1 August 2026 , Naidu posted on X with the message 'The future? Yeah… it's that way!' alongside hashtags calling the airport the 'New Gateway to AP' and describing it as 'wings for Uttarandhra's dreams,' signalling strong political backing for the project.
When will Bhogapuram Airport be inaugurated?
A specific inauguration date has not been officially confirmed. The project received in-principle central government approval in the mid-2010s, and construction milestones are still awaited.
How does Bhogapuram Airport fit into Andhra Pradesh's development plans?
The airport is a cornerstone of Andhra Pradesh's post-2014 bifurcation strategy to build economic infrastructure independently of Hyderabad. It aims to improve international connectivity for Uttarandhra and attract business investment to the northern coastal region.
