Aviation sector to take wings in A.P. as Bhogapuram airport all set for flight validation test on January 4

A new era will begin for the aviation industry in Andhra Pradesh with Bhogapuram Greenfield International Airport ready for its first commercial validation flight test on January 4.

The project, undertaken after the State bifurcation during the NDA’s tenure from 2014 to 2019, is expected to be ready by June 30.

Despite many legal hurdles, the government purchased the land, allowing GMR Group to start construction work in 2023. GMR group subsidiary GMR Visakhapatnam International Airport Limited (GVIAL) is building the airport on 2,200 acres of land at an estimated cost of ₹ 4,592 crore.

The airport project is being built in Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode on the basis of design, build, finance, operate and transfer.

GVIAL has constructed a 3.8 km long runway, which will be used for the first time during the commercial validation test on Sunday.

The construction of terminals, air traffic control, cargo, logistics buildings and other buildings is almost ready. The airport is expected to initially serve 6 million passengers per year.

Union Civil Aviation Minister K. Rammohan Naidu, who visited the project site recently, hoped that the airport, with its strategic location between Visakhapatnam and Srikakulam districts, will act as a major growth engine for the development of North Andhra regions.

He said that the proposed aerospace and defense training city near Bhogapuram will ensure further development of the North Andhra region.

GMR Group and MANSAS Foundation, run by Pusapati Ashok Gajapathi Raju’s family, will build an Educity on 120 acres of land provided by the trust near Annavaram village.

Vizianagaram MLA Pusapati Aditi Vijaya Lakshmi told Hindu He said skills-focused courses at Educity will help locals find jobs in the aviation sector.

However, the distance from Visakhapatnam city to Bhogapuram remains a major concern for air passengers from Visakhapatnam district as they have to travel around 50 km to reach Bhogapuram airport.

Air Passengers Association vice-president Oruganti Naresh Kumar urged the government to construct flyovers and radial roads between Visakhapatnam and Bhogapuram to ensure a hassle-free journey for passengers from Visakhapatnam.