Rijiju: PM Modi inaugurates Alluri Sitarama Raju Airport
Synopsis
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Alluri Sitarama Raju Airport at Bhogapuram in Andhra Pradesh on 1 August 2026, fulfilling a key post-bifurcation connectivity commitment to the state and expanding India's regional aviation network under the UDAN scheme.
Key Takeaways
PM Narendra Modi inaugurated the Alluri Sitarama Raju Airport at Bhogapuram, Andhra Pradesh on 1 August 2026 .
The airport is named after Alluri Sitarama Raju , the tribal revolutionary who led the Rampa Rebellion (1922–24) against British rule.
The greenfield airport is located in Vizianagaram district and is designed to serve the northern coastal belt of Andhra Pradesh.
The project is part of the Centre's UDAN scheme , launched in 2016 , to expand regional aviation connectivity beyond major metros.
The inauguration addresses a key infrastructure gap created by Andhra Pradesh's 2014 bifurcation , which left the state without a major international airport.
Union Minister Kiren Rijiju broadcast the event live on X, amplifying national visibility of the inauguration.
Bhogapuram, Andhra Pradesh, 1 August 2026 — A new chapter in Andhra Pradesh's post-bifurcation story opened on Saturday as Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Alluri Sitarama Raju Airport at Bhogapuram in Vizianagaram district, alongside a clutch of development projects in the region. Union Parliamentary Affairs and Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju shared a live broadcast of the event, drawing national attention to the milestone.
A freedom fighter's name takes flight over Andhra
The airport carries the name of Alluri Sitarama Raju, the tribal revolutionary who led the Rampa Rebellion against British rule between 1922 and 1924 — a guerrilla uprising that shook colonial administration across the Andhra hills. Naming a greenfield civil-aviation hub after him is a pointed act of remembrance: a man who fought for the land now has his name stamped on the gateway to it. The choice also signals the Centre's intent to weave tribal heritage into the national infrastructure narrative.
Bhogapuram's long wait for a runway
Andhra Pradesh has carried a specific infrastructure deficit since the 2014 state bifurcation that left Hyderabad — and its international airport — with the successor state of Telangana. The residual state was promised compensatory development, and connectivity projects have formed the backbone of those commitments. The Bhogapuram greenfield airport is among the most consequential of those pledges, designed to serve the northern coastal belt of the state and ease pressure on Visakhapatnam airport. Its inauguration marks the moment a long-deferred promise becomes concrete.
UDAN's runway runs through Andhra
The project fits squarely within the Centre's UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik) scheme, launched in 2016 to stitch smaller cities into the national aviation grid. The scheme's premise — affordable air travel beyond the four or five metro hubs — has driven a pipeline of regional airport projects across the country. Bhogapuram is among the more ambitious of these, a full greenfield facility rather than a refurbished airstrip, signalling the scale of investment the Centre has committed to the state.
What happens next will matter as much as the ribbon-cutting: funding disbursement timelines for the associated development projects and the airport's operational launch schedule will be closely watched by both the state government and the aviation sector. The inauguration sets a political and logistical clock ticking.
Point of View
Aimed at consolidating both the BJP and its allies' standing in coastal Andhra ahead of the next electoral cycle. For the UDAN scheme, Bhogapuram is a proof-of-concept moment — a full greenfield facility, not a repainted airstrip — that the programme can deliver at scale. The real test, however, will be in the operational timelines and whether the associated development projects translate from launch-day announcements into funded, time-bound execution.
NationPress
1 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Alluri Sitarama Raju Airport located?
Alluri Sitarama Raju Airport is a greenfield airport located at Bhogapuram in Vizianagaram district, Andhra Pradesh.
Who is Alluri Sitarama Raju and why is the airport named after him?
Alluri Sitarama Raju was a tribal freedom fighter who led the Rampa Rebellion against British colonial rule in the Andhra region between 1922 and 1924. The airport is named in his honour to recognise his legacy.
What is the UDAN scheme and how does Bhogapuram airport relate to it?
UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik) is a central government scheme launched in 2016 to improve affordable air connectivity to smaller Indian cities. Bhogapuram airport is part of this regional aviation expansion drive.
Why is a new airport important for Andhra Pradesh?
After the 2014 state bifurcation, Andhra Pradesh lost access to Hyderabad's international airport, which remained with Telangana. New airports like Bhogapuram are part of compensatory connectivity commitments made to the residual state.
What other development projects were launched at Bhogapuram on 1 August 2026?
PM Modi launched additional development projects in Bhogapuram alongside the airport inauguration. Specific project details are yet to be officially confirmed and are expected to be released by the government.
