Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday inaugurated the Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport at Bhogapuram in Andhra Pradesh’s Vizianagaram district. He also dedicated multiple development projects to the nation, with a total outlay of Rs 17,900 crore.
The greenfield airport has been built at a cost of Rs 4,727 crore and completed in 31 months. It has been designed to handle 6 million passengers annually.
Addressing the gathering, Modi said Andhra Pradesh has consistently shown a forward-looking approach and that the state’s youth have demonstrated strong capabilities, including in information technology. He reiterated the government’s guiding principle that investment leads to job creation, and said public investment has been increased accordingly.
He added that the Centre is also encouraging private-sector investment, arguing that higher investment boosts production, which in turn raises exports and creates new employment opportunities. Increased employment, he said, improves incomes and enhances families’ quality of life.
Modi also highlighted growth in India’s aviation sector over the past 12 years, noting that the number of operational airports has risen from 74 in 2014 to 166 now. He said air travel, once limited to major cities, has expanded to smaller towns as well.
