Bhogapuram International Airport Clears Key Operational Test with Proving Flight

The upcoming Bhogapuram International Airport in Andhra Pradesh has crossed a significant operational milestone with the successful completion of a proving flight, a mandatory step before the launch of commercial services.An Air India aircraft operating from Delhi landed at the greenfield airport as part of the validation exercise, which assesses compliance with aviation safety norms, runway performance, navigational systems, emergency preparedness and overall airside readiness. Officials said the successful flight confirms that the airport infrastructure meets regulatory requirements for the next phase of operational approvals.Union Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu, who was on board the aircraft, said the project is nearing

completion, with close to 96% of construction work already finished. Based on the current pace of execution, the airport is expected to be ready by June this year, considerably earlier than the originally planned deadline of December 2026. The aircraft was welcomed with a ceremonial water salute.The proving flight was witnessed by senior officials from the Ministry of Civil Aviation, the Airports Authority of India (AAI), the Andhra Pradesh government and representatives of the GMR Group.

Once operational, Bhogapuram International Airport will serve as a major aviation hub for north Andhra Pradesh and neighbouring regions. The airport has been designed to handle an initial passenger capacity of six million per annum and is expected to take over operations from the existing Visakhapatnam International Airport, which currently caters to around 2.9 million passengers annually.The project is being implemented by GMR Aero-led GMR Visakhapatnam International Airport Limited (GVIAL), a wholly owned subsidiary of GMR Airports Limited, under a public-private partnership framework. The airport spans a total area of 2,203.26 acres.The passenger terminal, covering 77,342 square metres, will feature 22 check-in counters, 18 self-baggage drop units, four baggage carousels and 31 X-ray screening machines. Passenger processing infrastructure will include 12 immigration counters, 14 emigration counters for departures and 12 Digi Yatra pods to enable contactless travel.In addition to passenger facilities, the airport will house an aerotropolis, an aviation hub and a dedicated cargo terminal aimed at strengthening logistics, exports and regional trade. Road connectivity is being enhanced through multiple infrastructure projects, including a trumpet interchange on NH-16 being developed by the National Highways Authority of India, along with upgrades to seven key arterial roads to reduce travel time from Visakhapatnam city to about 40–60 minutes. Longer-term plans include flyovers, metro-linked double-decker corridors and a coastal road alignment to ease traffic congestion.

Commenting on the development, GMR Group Chairman – Airports, G B S Raju, said the Bhogapuram airport reflects the Group’s sustained focus on building high-quality national infrastructure that supports economic expansion and regional transformation. He said GMR’s experience of developing and operating major airports over the past two decades has shaped a strong emphasis on scale, sustainability and passenger-focused design.He added that the Group’s end-to-end capabilities across airport development, operations, modernisation and international partnerships position it to deliver future-ready aviation ecosystems. According to him, Bhogapuram is being developed as more than a transport facility, with the potential to drive employment generation, tourism growth, trade activity and allied industries in Andhra Pradesh.GMR Group Deputy Managing Director I Prabhakara Rao said the airport has been engineered to withstand extreme weather conditions, drawing on lessons from past cyclones in the region. The terminal building has been designed to endure wind speeds of up to 275 kmph, while the air traffic control tower can withstand winds of up to 295 kmph, ensuring operational resilience.The successful proving flight marks a major step towards the airport’s commissioning, with officials indicating that the focus will now shift to completing residual works and securing final regulatory clearances.