Delhi HC rejects petition against closure of Vizag airport

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 Greenfield Airport at Bhogapuram in Andhra Pradesh

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 Greenfield Airport at Bhogapuram in Andhra Pradesh.

India News

A bench of chief justice DK Upadhyaya and justice Tejas Karia dismissed the petition filed by one Gopala Krishna Kosaraju for forum non conveniens (inconvenient forum) after it was informed the 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 occured in Andhra Pradesh. The petition is dismissed on the ground of forum non conveniens ,” the court said to advocate Pranav Sachdeva appearing for Kosaraju.

The notification concerning the discontinuation was issued by the ministry of civil aviation (MoCA) on July 28, stating that the civil enclave at Visakhapatnam Airport (INS Dega) will remain closed for scheduled commercial operations for 30 years from 12.01 am on August 17, 2026, when operations commence at Bhogapuram International Greenfield Airport.

The notification said the decision was taken “in pursuance of the decision taken at the time of grant of Site Clearance for this project on January 27, 2016.”

It added that the International Air Transport Association (IATA) airport code VTZ of the existing Visakhapatnam Airport will 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 will 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 its petition, Kosaraju, a resident of AP had submitted that enforcing an absolute 30 year old operational 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 stated.

It further 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, the Delhi-NCR airports and 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.