First commercial validation flight lands at Bhogapuram International Airport

Visakhapatnam: The first commercial validation flight from Delhi landed at Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport at Bhogapuram on Sunday at 11 am, with Union Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu taking the first Air India flight.

The Bhogapuram International Airport is being developed on 2,203 acres, with an additional 500 acres recently handed over for allied facilities, and is scheduled to be opened in June.

First integrated education and innovation hub in India

The flight carrying Minister Rammohan Naidu, along with senior officials from the Airports Authority of India (AAI) and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), successfully landed at Bhogapuram airport. The trial landing aims to evaluate runway preparedness, navigation systems and overall airport operations ahead of the launch of regular commercial services.

The government plans to develop the Bhogapuram region, where the international airport is coming up, into the country’s first integrated education and innovation hub.

Development of roads and cargo terminal

The government is developing three major approach roads to ensure smooth and hassle-free access to the airport for passengers arriving from Visakhapatnam. A large cargo terminal is also being planned to enable the direct export of Andhra Pradesh’s pharmaceutical, marine and textile products to international markets.

Statues of revolutionary leader Alluri Seetharama Raju and traditional Atikoppaka dolls will be installed inside the airport terminal, with eye-catching decorations designed to showcase and celebrate Telugu culture.

A total of 21 modern aerobridges have been constructed. According to the officials, they are targeting 10 to 12 flight landings per hour and aim to serve 60 lakh passengers in the first year. The airport will feature self-check-in, self-baggage drop facilities, smart trolleys and other modern amenities.

Aviation EduCity at the airport

The GMR–Mansas Aviation EduCity coming up at the airport is spread over about 136 acres. It is designed as a national capability platform to address the acute global and domestic shortage of aviation professionals and to position India as a leading supplier of aviation talent.

An MoU was signed between GMR Group and the Mansas Trust at Visakhapatnam.

Unlike standalone universities or training academies, the GMR–Mansas Aviation EduCity is being conceptualised as a fully integrated education–innovation–industry cluster, combining:

- International branch campuses (IBCs) and globally reputed universities

- Licensing and certification programmes aligned with DGCA, EASA and global standards

- Advanced research and innovation centres in aerospace design, AI-enabled aviation systems, UAVs and sustainable aviation and safety

- Incubation, prototyping and startup support for aviation and aerospace technologies

- Residential and social infrastructure, creating a self-sustaining campus ecosystem

The government said the model aligns with National Civil Aviation Policy (NCAP), NEP 2020, Make in India, and India’s broader aerospace and defence ambitions.

AAD educational city

The government is also planning to develop the core EduCity infrastructure within 12 months, with phased onboarding of global academic and industry partners thereafter.

The project is part of the State government’s plan to develop India’s first Aviation, Aerospace and Defence (AAD) educational city, which will emerge as a global model for education and skill development.

Key highlights of the first phase include:

- 22 Aerobridges

- Terminal building spanning 81,000 sq. meters

- Two runways, each 3.8 km long

- Annual passenger handling capacity: 6 million (initially), scalable to 40 million in phases

Beach Corridor project to cut travel time to airport by 45 minutes

To ensure swift travel to the new airport, the government has recently revived the long-pending Beach Corridor project, which will cut travel time from Visakhapatnam city to Bhogapuram to just 45 minutes.

The Detailed Project Report (DPR) for land acquisition and road expansion worth Rs 2,800 crore has already been prepared. The proposed corridor includes a bridge over the Gosthani River at Mulakoddy, connecting Visakhapatnam Port via Bhimili to Bhogapuram. This project, now given a fresh push, is expected to complement the airport and be ready within 10 months. Elevated corridors will also be taken up in parallel.