Visakhapatnam Airport Should Continue Domestic Operations After Bhogapuram Launch: BJP MLA

BJP floor leader in the Andhra Pradesh Assembly and Visakhapatnam North MLA P. Vishnu Kumar Raju on Sunday said the Visakhapatnam airport should continue to function as a domestic airport even after the Bhogapuram airport becomes operational.

Speaking at a press conference at the party office in Visakhapatnam, along with BJP district president M.M.N. Parasurama Raju, he said the existing airport handles lakhs of passengers, and shifting full operations to Bhogapuram would increase travel time and inconvenience commuters, particularly from North Andhra.

He said both airports should be allowed to operate in parallel for some time, arguing that continued services at Visakhapatnam airport would improve connectivity and ease passenger load. He also suggested that operations should remain unchanged until fuel prices stabilise.

Referring to the Central government, Vishnu Kumar Raju said the Narendra Modi-led government had completed 4,400 days in office, describing it as a period of stable governance focused on development and welfare delivery. He said housing and sanitation schemes had benefited millions across the country.

He said railway stations were being modernised under the Amrit Bharat initiative and credited the Centre with securing the Visakhapatnam Railway Zone. Rejecting concerns over its viability, he said objections based on the exclusion of certain revenue-generating stations were not valid.

He added that the State coalition government would provide land for the permanent headquarters of the railway zone and support plans to develop Visakhapatnam into a mega city with adequate funding.

The BJP will hold a public meeting in Visakhapatnam on June 19, he said, adding that voters had replaced the previous government in 2024 and entrusted the current coalition with governance and development responsibilities.