Continue domestic operations at Vizag airport: CPM

Visakhapatnam: CPM Visakhapatnam unit organised a bike rally on Saturday, demanding that the state government retain domestic flight operations at the existing Visakhapatnam airport even after the Bhogapuram International Airport is commissioned.

Party leaders said closing the current airport would inflict severe economic losses on the city and negatively impact trade, tourism and local businesses.Addressing the rally, CPM Visakhapatnam district secretary M. Jaggu Naidu demanded that chief minister N. Chandrababu Naidu immediately announce that the existing Visakhapatnam airport would continue to function as a domestic airport. “Failing this, the CM would face public protests whenever he visits Visakhapatnam,” he said.Despite heavy rain, CPM workers carried out motorcycle rallies across the Vizag South, North and East Assembly constituencies of the city. Jaggu Naidu alleged that the government was preparing to close the existing airport soon after the Bhogapuram airport becomes operational in July. “Such a move would seriously hamper development and adversely affect the tourism, transport, hospitality, services and commercial sectors.

Thousands of people would lose their livelihoods, while lakhs of residents and travellers would be forced to spend more time and incur additional transport expenses to reach the new airport,” he said.The CPM leader criticised the government for promising to build an airport for every district while simultaneously planning to close six-decade-old airport in Vizag.Referring to the statements of Visakhapatnam MP M. Sribharat, Jaggu Naidu challenged the MP to travel like an ordinary passenger in a private taxi from Lankelapalem to Tagarapuvalasa. “Such a journey would help the MP understand the additional travel time and financial burden that passengers would have to bear,” he added.