Despite the BJP being part of the ruling alliance in Andhra Pradesh along with the TDP and Jana Sena, a BJP MLA has effectively stripped away the TDP’s pride by questioning Bhogapuram Airport, a project the party has been projecting as Chandrababu Naidu’s brainchild and a symbol of his development narrative.
It's known that the trial operations at the Bhogapuram Airport were conducted recently, with the first flight arriving from Delhi and halting on the new runway.
Authorities are planning to begin full-fledged operations from June, and estimates suggest the airport could handle up to six million passengers annually.
The project is being projected as a major infrastructure boost for north coastal Andhra Pradesh.
However, Visakhapatnam North BJP MLA Vishnu Kumar Raju has made controversial remarks on the airport’s usefulness for the city.
He pointed out that Bhogapuram is located far from Visakhapatnam, and reaching the airport could take over two hours.
When combined with the mandatory early arrival for flights, passengers may end up spending nearly four hours just to catch a flight, he argued.
Raju said that for travel between Visakhapatnam and Vijayawada, Vande Bharat Express trains are far more convenient and time-saving.
He suggested that Bhogapuram should primarily serve international operations, while the existing Visakhapatnam airport should continue handling domestic flights.
He also urged the government to introduce more high-speed train services from Visakhapatnam to commute to Hyderabad or Tirupathi. Many air travelers agree with his view, and all eyes are now on the government’s decision.
It now remains to be seen how the TDP brigade will respond to these remarks made by the BJP MLA, especially within the context of the ruling alliance in Andhra Pradesh.
