In a landmark moment for Andhra Pradesh’s aviation sector, the first aircraft successfully landed at the under-construction Bhogapuram International Airport on Sunday morning. A validation (test) flight from Delhi touched down on the runway at 10.15 a.m., signaling that the long-awaited greenfield airport has entered its final phase before commercial operations.

The Air India A320 validation flight carried Union Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu, Vizianagaram MP Kalisetti Appalanaidu, senior aviation officials, and representatives of the Airports Traffic Control (ATC). The aircraft landed safely on the 3.8-km-long runway, validating the performance of the runway, navigation aids, and safety systems.

According to GMR Group, which is developing the project under the PPP model, 96-97 percent of construction works have been completed. GMR Deputy Managing Director I. Prabhakar Rao said preparations were underway to officially inaugurate the airport on June 26, with commercial flight operations expected to begin from early July.

“This is a green, smart international airport designed to withstand extreme weather conditions. Even cyclones like Hudhud will not affect operations. The airport can withstand wind speeds of up to 275 kmph, and the drainage system can handle 27 cm of rainfall without waterlogging,” Prabhakar Rao said.

The project is being developed at a cost of around Rs 4,600- Rs 4,725 crore in the first phase, with an initial capacity to handle 60 lakh passengers annually, scalable in future phases. The airport can accommodate 200 aircraft movements per day, provide parking for 18 aircraft at night, and facilitate 20,000 tonnes of cargo exports annually, giving a major boost to pharma, marine, and textile exports from Andhra Pradesh.

The terminal will feature 21 aerobridges, 14 immigration counters, and advanced facilities such as self check-in, self baggage drop, smart trolleys, and automated boarding systems. GMR officials said the airport is being developed as a smart airport with global standards, capable of handling 10-12 aircraft per hour.

The state government is simultaneously developing three major access roads to ensure smooth connectivity from Visakhapatnam and surrounding regions. Officials said about 33 percent of passengers are expected from Visakhapatnam, while the remaining 67 percent will come from North Andhra, Odisha, and Chhattisgarh, effectively positioning Bhogapuram as a regional aviation hub.

Union Minister Ram Mohan Naidu said the airport would also host an aviation education hub in the future, an idea envisioned by IT and HRD Minister Nara Lokesh. He described the successful validation flight as a crucial step before full-scale operations. Reacting to the milestone, Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu said the Bhogapuram airport was conceptualised and initiated during the 2014-19 NDA tenure under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He termed the successful test flight a new milestone in Andhra Pradesh’s aviation journey and expressed confidence that the airport would transform the economic landscape of North Andhra.

“With Bhogapuram airport becoming operational from June, regional connectivity will strengthen and North Andhra’s development will accelerate significantly,” the Chief Minister said in a social media post, thanking the Centre for its continued support. Officials and regional leaders described the successful landing as a historic step that will reshape Vizianagaram- Visakhapatnam as twin growth centres, with Bhogapuram emerging as a strategic gateway for the region over the next decade.

Second airports allowed after capacity saturates: Ram Mohan Naidu

Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu on Sunday said the ‘150 km aerial distance’ rule for greenfield airports does not apply once the capacity of an existing airport is saturated. Addressing the media after a validation flight at Bhogapuram Airport, he said the policy only guides initial airport development and does not restrict the creation of a second airport when demand outgrows capacity.

Naidu added that the Centre is encouraging states to develop second airports in metro cities to meet rising air traffic. He said the Noida International Airport at Jewar is close to completing licensing approvals and is likely to be inaugurated later this month or in early February.

On the Ahmedabad Air India plane crash, the minister said the investigation is being conducted professionally with participation from multiple countries, adhering to global standards. He also said Bhogapuram Airport could be inaugurated by May or June, subject to the Prime Minister’s availability.