The Delhi high court on Wednesday dismissed a petition challenging the Centre’s decision to discontinue scheduled commercial operations at the existing Visakhapatnam airport and transfer its airport code, VTZ, to Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport at Bhogapuram in Andhra Pradesh.
A bench of chief justice DK Upadhyaya and justice Tejas Karia dismissed the petition for forum non conveniens (inconvenient forum) after it was informed that a petition challenging the same decision was already pending before the Andhra Pradesh high court.
“Where is the impact? Where is it impacting? People in Delhi or Andhra Pradesh? Where part of cause of action arises in two places, the place where the dominant cause of action is the forum. Dominant cause of action has occurred in Andhra Pradesh. The petition is dismissed on the ground of forum non conveniens,” the court told advocate Pranav Sachdeva, who appeared for the petitioner, Gopala Krishna Kosaraju.
The Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) issued a notification on July 28, stating that the civil enclave at Visakhapatnam Airport (INS Dega) will remain closed to scheduled commercial operations for 30 years, effective from 12.01 am on August 17, 2026, when operations commence at Bhogapuram International Greenfield Airport.
The notification said this was decided when the site clearance was given back in January 2016.
{{/usCountry}}The notification said this was decided when the site clearance was given back in January 2016.
{{/usCountry}}It added that the International Air Transport Association (IATA) airport code VTZ of the existing Visakhapatnam Airport would be transferred to Bhogapuram International Greenfield Airport with effect from 12.01 am on August 17, 2026.
The notification clarified that the closure of the civil enclave for scheduled commercial operations would not apply during national emergencies or to aircraft owned or operated by the Indian Air Force, other armed forces, police or any other authorised agency. It also exempts flights carrying dignitaries in specially government-owned, leased or hired aircraft.
In his petition, Kosaraju, a resident of Andhra Pradesh, submitted that enforcing an absolute 30-year ban on an existing, fully functional, and centrally located airport was arbitrary, unreasonable, and violative of Articles 14, 19, and 21 of the Constitution of India.
“Over Rs. 250 plus crores of public money has been invested by the Airports Authority of India (AAI) in developing INS Dega’s terminal and airside infrastructure in recent years. Rendering this asset idle for scheduled commercial use to guarantee commercial exclusivity to a private operator violates the Public Trust Doctrine,” the petition said.
It also contended that the ministry’s policy was inherently discriminatory.
While dual-airport operations are permitted in other parts of the country, including Dabolim and Mopa in Goa, and Delhi-NCR, CSMIA, and Navi Mumbai in Maharashtra, the policy selectively mandates a complete shutdown of Visakhapatnam Airport. It argued that, with key road and mass-transit links to Bhogapuram, located around 50 km away, still incomplete, shifting all civilian traffic to the greenfield airport would cause severe commuter hardship and pose safety risks, particularly during medical emergencies.