Visakhapatnam airport shut, Bhogapuram takes over from Aug 17

Visakhapatnam's decades-old airport closed its civilian operations on August 16, with all flights moving to the new Bhogapuram airport from August 17. The shift ends an era for the INS Dega airport, which will now serve only Indian Navy defence needs. The airport code VTZ will also be transferred to Bhogapuram, according to tupaki.com.

Bhogapuram airport, built at a cost of Rs 5,000 crore, has a capacity to handle four crore passengers annually. While the new facility is designed for future needs, Visakhapatnam residents have expressed emotional attachment to the old airport, which served as the primary aviation hub for north Andhra for over four decades.

The old airport holds historical significance: on May 20, 1991, former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi departed from here for Chennai, a journey that ended in his assassination at Sriperumbudur. Several appeals to continue domestic services at the old airport were not accepted.