Bhogapuram Airport Inauguration Triggers Fresh Political Credit Battle

The upcoming inauguration of the Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport at Bhogapuram has triggered a fresh political confrontation in Andhra Pradesh, with YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) president and former Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy accused the ruling TDP-led NDA government of taking credit for a project that he claims was largely executed during his administration.

In a series of posts on X, Jagan alleged that the coalition government was attempting to rewrite the airport's development timeline by projecting it as its own achievement. Describing the episode as " work by YSRCP, publicity by Chandrababu," he criticised Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, saying the ruling dispensation was claiming recognition without acknowledging the contribution of the previous government.

Calling the airport a transformative project for North Andhra, Jagan welcomed its inauguration by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying it would enhance international air connectivity, promote trade, tourism, logistics and investment, and accelerate economic growth across the region. The greenfield international airport, developed by GMR Visakhapatnam International Airport Limited, is expected to serve Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram, Srikakulam and neighbouring regions while easing congestion at the defence-operated Visakhapatnam Airport.

The former Chief Minister asserted that the YSRCP government completed the project's most critical phase after assuming office in 2019. He said his administration signed the concession agreement with GMR in June 2020 and completed key milestones, including land acquisition, rehabilitation and resettlement (R&R), statutory and security clearances, site preparation, utility infrastructure, internal roads, aeronautical services and financial closure. He alleged that the previous TDP government had done little beyond laying the foundation stone before the 2019 Assembly elections.

Jagan said the state spent over ₹1,200 crore on enabling infrastructure, including ₹967 crore for land acquisition and rehabilitation, ₹75 crore for water supply, ₹134.5 crore for infrastructure works, ₹7.29 crore for alternative roads and ₹2.35 crore for a power substation. Despite the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, he said construction progressed steadily, with the runway reaching an advanced stage and terminal works moving rapidly before the 2024 elections.

He also claimed that his government had announced that flight operations would commence by June 2026, arguing that the airport's readiness for inauguration reflected the planning and execution carried out during the YSRCP tenure.

Targeting the coalition government over connectivity, Jagan questioned why a proper access road from Visakhapatnam to the airport was still pending. He said the previous government had secured approval for a 55-km, six-lane highway worth ₹6,300 crore after discussions with Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, but alleged that the project had seen little progress despite the same alliance being in power at both the Centre and the State.