Maiden flight lands at Vizag’s Bhogapuram, a turning point for the city’s air travel

The successful validation flight at the upcoming Bhogapuram International Airport marks a major milestone in the transformation of Visakhapatnam’s aviation infrastructure.

The validation flight, operated by Air India , tested runway systems, navigational aids and overall operational readiness of the new greenfield international airport . Conducted in the presence of Union Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu , senior officials from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation , the Airports Authority of India , the Andhra Pradesh government and the GMR Group , the exercise clears a crucial regulatory step ahead of commercial operations.

The Bhogapuram airport project was conceived in the mid-2010s to address long-term constraints at the existing Visakhapatnam Airport, a defence-civil enclave limited by runway length, urban development and naval operations. Requests for proposals were issued in 2016 under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) framework, with planning initiated during the NDA government’s tenure between 2014 and 2019 . The concession was awarded in 2020 after land acquisition and multiple regulatory approvals.

Over 2,200 acres of land were acquired and handed over by the state, including rehabilitation and resettlement , at a cost of nearly ₹960 crore . Major construction began in 2023 , and the project has now crossed 90 per cent completion .

Former Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy described the validation flight as a milestone for Vision Vizag , stating that during his tenure, permissions, approvals and land acquisition including R&R were expedited , enabling steady progress and completion of a significant portion of the work. He also recalled the approval of the Bhogapuram Airport Bypass National Highway project in March 2023, connecting Visakhapatnam Port with the airport .

Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu said the validation flight marked a new chapter for aviation in Uttarandhra , strengthening regional connectivity and economic prospects. Thanking Prime Minister Narendra Modi , he said the airport was planned and initiated during the NDA’s earlier tenure , an implied reference to its conception, and added that commercial operations are expected to begin from June .

Bhogapuram is being developed under a Design-Build-Finance-Operate-Transfer (DBFOT) model, with a phase-one cost of ₹4,600–4,700 crore . Initially designed to handle six million passengers annually , the airport will scale up as demand grows. While there is no formal announcement on shutting the existing Vizag airport, Bhogapuram is expected to become the region’s primary aviation gateway over time.

The project also highlights Andhra Pradesh’s uneven aviation map. Visakhapatnam handles nearly three million passengers annually , while Vijayawada and Tirupati form the second tier. Several smaller airports, including Donakonda and Dagadarthi , see little or no traffic, underscoring the limits of demand-led aviation expansion.

GMR’s stellar track record , including greenfield airports at Hyderabad and Goa , lends credibility to Bhogapuram’s ambitions. Whether it reshapes Vizag’s air travel as decisively as Shamshabad transformed Hyderabad will depend on traffic growth, airline economics and the region’s broader economic momentum.