A historic moment that will reshape North Andhra unfolded on Saturday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi officially inaugurated the terminal building of the “Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport,” built at Bhogapuram, and dedicated it to the nation. Built at an estimated cost of ₹4,727 crore, the inauguration of this modern airport was attended by AP Governor Justice Abdul Nazeer, Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu, Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan, Union Ministers Rammohan Naidu and Pemmasani Chandrasekhar, state ministers, and representatives of the GMR Group.
After inaugurating the airport, Prime Minister Modi closely inspected the modern facilities within the terminal building. GMR Group representatives explained the check-in hall, airport design, and technical features to the Prime Minister. He also viewed the airport’s master plan, the aviation hub and aviation edu-city models, and the terminal’s largest video wall. Chief Minister Chandrababu personally explained to the Prime Minister the historical milestones of Andhra Pradesh and North Andhra, along with details of prominent pilgrimage sites, displayed through this video wall.
A special highlight of the inauguration was a traditional tribal “Dhimsa” dance performed as a tribute. More than 13,500 tribal women and students from Alluri Sitarama Raju, Parvathipuram Manyam, and Polavaram districts, dressed traditionally in pink and green-bordered sarees, danced rhythmically to give the Prime Minister a grand welcome. This cultural performance took place on a specially built stage along the route from the terminal building to the public meeting venue, which Prime Minister Modi, Chief Minister Chandrababu, and Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan watched with keen interest while riding in an open-top jeep.
Upon arriving at the public meeting venue, Prime Minister Modi was given a grand welcome on behalf of the Andhra Pradesh government. On the public stage, Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu honored the Prime Minister with a “Ponduru Khadi” shawl and presented him with the “Bobbili Veena,” a cultural symbol of Andhra Pradesh, as a gift. After viewing various artworks displayed at the airport premises, the Prime Minister posed for photographs along with the Governor, Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister, and GMR representatives.
An interesting moment occurred on stage before the meeting began. Before the Prime Minister’s arrival, Chief Minister Chandrababu, Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan, Goa Governor Ashok Gajapathi Raju, and Union Ministers took their seats on the stage. At that point, Ashok Gajapathi Raju was seated next to Chandrababu, with Pawan Kalyan seated next to him. Noticing this, Chandrababu specially called Pawan Kalyan over and had him sit in the chair right beside himself. This moment drew loud cheers from the gathering, with the venue resounding with chants hailing both Chandrababu and Pawan Kalyan.
Built at a cost of ₹4,727 crore, the Bhogapuram International Airport is set to stand as a milestone in the economic and tourism progress of North Andhra. With modern infrastructure, an aviation hub, and new employment opportunities, development in the region is expected to accelerate. Reflecting local tribal culture while being built with international-standard technology, the dedication of this airport to the nation is expected to further strengthen regional connectivity.