VIZIANAGARAM: Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport at Bhogapuram, inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on August 1, will begin commercial operations under the IATA code VTZ from August 17, with domestic and international passenger services shifting from Visakhapatnam to the new airport.
GMR AERO released the schedule for the transition on Friday and said all passengers travelling to and from Vizag would use the new integrated airport under the IATA code VTZ from August 17.
The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) has taken charge of aviation security at the airport. CISF Director General Praveer Ranjan will participate in the first Independence Day celebrations at the airport on Saturday and formally take charge of airport security and operational protocols. The CISF and GMR AERO have made arrangements for the 80th Independence Day celebrations.
The transition is expected to improve access to domestic and international destinations and create opportunities for tourism, cargo, business, trade, investment and employment across North Andhra.
GMR Visakhapatnam International Airport Limited (GVIAL) developed the airport under Public Private Partnership model, focusing on operational efficiency, passenger convenience and scalability.
The 77,342 sq m integrated passenger terminal houses check-in, security screening, immigration, baggage handling and boarding facilities. DigiYatra integration, e-gates and self-service facilities will facilitate faster passenger processing, while advanced baggage handling systems will improve baggage movement.
The airport has an initial capacity to handle 6 million passengers annually, which can be scaled up to over 40 million. Its airside infrastructure includes a 3,800-metre Code 4E runway, a parallel taxiway, rapid-exit taxiways and 18 aircraft stands to support scheduled airline services and future expansion.