The long-awaited moment has arrived for North Andhra Pradesh. The first aircraft is set to touch down at the Bhogapuram International Airport, marking a historic milestone for the region. Within six months of this trial run, regular passenger flights are expected to begin operations, bringing air travel closer to millions of people.

Built with the active support of the coalition government, the greenfield airport is ready ahead of schedule. According to GMR officials, nearly 96 percent of the construction work has been completed. The trial landing will take place on Sunday, with a commercial aircraft arriving from Delhi. Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu will be present along with senior officials to witness the landmark event.

The airport has been designed to withstand extreme weather conditions. It can handle cyclonic winds of up to 275 kilometres per hour and heavy rainfall without disruption. From early July, scheduled flight operations will begin. The airport can handle up to 200 flights a day and process nearly 60 lakh passengers in its first year. It also includes a modern cargo terminal to support exports from the pharma, marine, and textile sectors.

Developed by the GMR Group, the smart airport features self-check-in systems, automated baggage handling, aero bridges, and international-standard immigration counters. Cultural elements such as a statue of Alluri Sitarama Raju and traditional Andhra artwork will welcome travellers.

Once operational, the airport will transform Visakhapatnam and Vizianagaram into twin growth hubs. Over the next decade, Bhogapuram is expected to reshape the economic and infrastructure landscape of the entire North Andhra region.