The Bhogapuram Greenfield International Airport in Vizianagaram district witnessed the successful landing of its first commercial validation flight from New Delhi. This event marks a significant milestone in Andhra Pradesh’s aviation sector, with the Air India flight touching down at the airport located approximately 50 km from Visakhapatnam.
The validation flight, which included Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu and Vizianagaram MP Kalisetti Appala Naidu, landed on the airport’s 3.8 km-long runway. Notably, this runway is the longest in the country and has been constructed using cutting-edge technology.
Constructed by GMR Group in Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode, the Bhogapuram Airport is set to be inaugurated in June. The airport, built on 2,200 acres of land at an estimated cost of Rs 4,592 crore, is nearing completion with 96% of the works already finished.
Ram Mohan Naidu expressed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to inaugurate the airport within the next 4-5 months. He highlighted the airport’s transformative impact on North Coastal Andhra, emphasizing its role in enhancing air connectivity and driving economic growth in the region.
Efforts are underway to ensure seamless road connectivity to the airport from Visakhapatnam, with plans for connectivity through seven points from the port city. Additionally, the feasibility of an elevated expressway is being explored to further enhance accessibility to the Bhogapuram Airport.
