VIZIANAGARAM: Describing the inauguration of the Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport at Bhogapuram as a defining moment for North Andhra, Union Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu on Saturday said the region, which once looked outward for opportunities, is now attracting global attention for investment, industry and employment.
Addressing a massive public meeting after Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the airport, Ram Mohan Naidu said Bhogapuram would emerge as a gateway for economic growth and employment in North Andhra.
Recalling that some political leaders had once ridiculed Bhogapuram, saying not even a ‘red bus’ would reach the area, he said the airport’s inauguration was a fitting reply to such criticism. “This is not a celebration that comes once a year or once in 12 years. It is a historic occasion that comes once in an era,” he said.
The Union Minister announced that the Centre plans to establish aviation training facilities in the region to equip local youth with skills required in the aviation sector. He expressed confidence that North Andhra would develop into a major aviation hub with maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facilities, enabling international flight connectivity in the coming years.
Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan said the airport marked a new chapter in the development of Andhra Pradesh. He said lasting progress comes through the creation of quality infrastructure rather than announcements alone.
Praising Prime Minister Modi’s vision of Viksit Bharat and Atmanirbhar Bharat, Pawan Kalyan said history remembers not only the structures that are built but also the future they create. He noted that major projects were laying a strong foundation for the State’s growth.
Minister for HRD and IT Nara Lokesh said the inauguration symbolised the coming together of Prime Minister Modi’s vision of Viksit Bharat and Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu’s vision of Swarnandhra 2047.
He said the airport was a strong response to those who questioned the project. He asserted that the combined leadership of Modi and Naidu would accelerate the development of North Andhra through investments such as the Google Data Centre, the ArcelorMittal steel plant and other major projects.
