The Visakhapatnam International Airport will cease civilian operations from July 8, with all commercial flight services shifting to the newly built Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport at Bhogapuram in Vizianagaram district.
The existing airport, under the control of the Indian Navy, will no longer handle civilian flights, with the greenfield Bhogapuram airport becoming the region's sole commercial aviation gateway.
The new airport, developed by GMR Visakhapatnam International Airport Limited, is expected to be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the first week of July, with commercial operations set to begin on July 8.
The airport has been designed to handle six million passengers annually in its first phase, with scope for future expansion.
Several airlines have already informed passengers and travel agents about the transition, with Singapore-based Scoot Airlines issuing alerts stating that all flights to and from Visakhapatnam from July 8 onwards will operate from Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport instead of the existing Visakhapatnam International Airport.
The Airports Economic Regulatory Authority of India (AERA) has approved an ad hoc tariff structure that will remain in force from the commercial operation date (COD) until regular aeronautical tariffs are finalised.
However, road connectivity remains a major concern, with passengers travelling from Visakhapatnam facing a journey of at least one-and-a-half to two hours to reach the airport.
The state government has stepped up efforts to improve road connectivity and public transport before operations begin, with the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) estimating it could take between one-and-a-half and two hours for passengers to reach the airport during peak traffic.
The Visakhapatnam Metropolitan Region Development Authority (VMRDA) has proposed seven road projects to improve airport connectivity, though officials believe only the Adavivaram-Sonthyam and Vepagunta-Pinagadi roads are likely to substantially reduce travel time.
