TDP, YSRCP spar over Bhogapuram airport credit amid test flight milestone

Visakhapatnam: Scheduled for completion in June 2026, the Alluri Sitharama Raju greenfield international airport, coming up in Bhogapuram in Vizianagaram district, has taken nearly a decade to build, spanning the tenures of the TDP, the YSRCP, and now the TDP again. The recent launch of a test flight has become a flashpoint between the two parties, with both trading barbs over who deserves credit for the project. The TDP claims that former chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy opposed the airport, joined protests against it, and even attempted to stall the project through court cases. The YSRCP, however, maintains that most of the legal issues pertaining to land, project work, including rehabilitation and resettlement (R&R) packages, were resolved and completed during its tenure. Party leaders and ministers have been exchanging accusations over the past few days across the state, particularly in north coastal Andhra Pradesh. Commenting on the recent test flight, former chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy said that, during his tenure, timely approvals, expedited permissions and land acquisition—including rehabilitation and resettlement works with an outlay of nearly Rs 960 crore—provided a strong foundation for steady progress. "A significant portion of the project work was completed during this period, which has been instrumental in achieving this milestone," said the former CM in a social media post. However, TDP leaders have criticised this claim. State IT minister Nara Lokesh said, "The credit for blocking the Bhogapuram airport entirely belongs to Jagan alone! The YSRCP should be ashamed to even claim any credit for it." YSRCP Anakapalli district president and former minister Gudivada Amarnath accused the TDP of falsely claiming credit for the airport. "While the TDP govt hurriedly laid the foundation stone before the 2019 elections, construction could not have proceeded without land acquisition, statutory approvals, and funding—all of which were completed under the YSRCP. A total of 2,203 acres of land were handed over to the construction company, and all necessary approvals were secured, allowing uninterrupted construction from May 2023. The YSRCP ensured rehabilitation and compensation for displaced villagers, spending about Rs 400–500 crore to build R&R colonies at two locations for four villages. Claims that Jagan opposed the airport are false. He protected farmers from excessive land acquisition and ensured only the land genuinely required for the airport was taken," said Amarnath. Former minister and Bheemili MLA Ganta Srinivas Rao, however, defended the TDP's role. "Bhogapuram airport was initiated and developed by the TDP alone. Then chief minister Chandrababu Naidu announced the Bhogapuram airport in Feb 2015, and land acquisition began in April 2015. Approvals from the Airport Authority, RPO, and the feasibility report were also received that same year. Jagan misled farmers by questioning why the airport was being built while Visakhapatnam airport had low traffic, claiming that if his party came to power, the acquired lands would be returned," alleged Srinivas Rao.