New Delhi : Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday held a one-on-one meeting, which lasted more than 30 minutes, amid the ongoing monsoon session of Parliament. During the interaction, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi to attend the inauguration of the Bhogapuram Airport, also called Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport, in Vizianagaram district. Additionally, the Chief Minister warmly introduced TDP MP Kalisetti Appalanaidu to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, mentioning that he is the local MP from the constituency where the Bhogapuram Airport is being developed.
In response, Prime Minister Modi praised TDP MP Kalisetti Appalanaidu in Parliament, noting that the lawmaker "comes to Parliament every day on a bicycle." "I know Appalanaidu. He comes to Parliament every day on a bicycle," said PM Modi. Telugu Desam Party (TDP) MP Kalisetti Appalanaidu won from the Vizianagaram constituency in the 2024 General Elections. The TDP MP is known for travelling to Parliament on a yellow bicycle and dresses in a yellow kurta and white dhoti. He stated that he uses a bicycle to raise awareness about pollution.
"It is very dangerous and must be controlled. Everyone should prefer cycling," said Appalanaidu. Union Ministers Ram Mohan Naidu and Srinivasa Varma also met PM Modi in Parliament. Earlier this week, Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu said that the Bhogapuram International Airport will become a landmark for North Andhra and transform the region's economic landscape.
According to a release, the Bhogapuram Airport project, which was initiated during the Telugu Desam Party government in 2014, was accelerated by the present coalition government and completed within two years. The State Government is planning to organise the inauguration on a grand scale befitting the world-class airport.
As part of the preparations, the Chief Minister conducted a high-level review meeting on the inauguration arrangements. Union Minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu, State Minister Nadendla Manohar, BJP State President P. V. N. Madhav, Chief Secretary K. Vijayanand, DGP Harish Kumar Gupta, Ministers Satya Kumar Yadav, K. Atchannaidu and Vangalapudi Anitha, along with senior officials, participated in the meeting.
Addressing the meeting, Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu said, "Bhogapuram International Airport will play a pivotal role in the development of North Andhra. It will create new opportunities and significantly improve the lives of ordinary people. Economic activity in the region will gain momentum, and improved connectivity will enhance the standard of living."
Beyond transportation, the airport will catalyse tourism and industrial development. It will play a crucial role in the growth of the Visakha Economic Region. Just as the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport at Shamshabad transformed the Hyderabad region, Bhogapuram Airport will bring similar transformational changes to North Andhra.
"Greater economic activity will generate employment and livelihood opportunities across sectors, while also creating new avenues for wealth generation. Combined with irrigation projects, highways, ports and other infrastructure initiatives, the airport will usher in a new era of development. North Andhra is poised for unprecedented growth in the coming years," he said.