Visakhapatnam | Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday inaugurated Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport here at Bhogapuram in Vizianagaram district.

The Andhra Pradesh government views the nearly Rs 5,000 crore Bhogapuram Airport, developed by GMR Group, not merely as an infrastructure project, but as a transformational asset for the entire North Andhra region.

It was conceived as a catalyst for industrial growth, employment generation, exports, skill development and research.

Designed to handle six million passengers annually in the first phase, the airport also has a master plan to expand the capacity to 40 million passengers annually.

Commercial operations of the airport would begin from August 17.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and Union Civil Aviation Minister K Ram Mohan Naidu highlighted the salient features of the airport to the PM.

Later in the day, PM Modi would lay the foundation for and inaugurate projects worth nearly Rs 18,000 crore in the southern state.