Visakhapatnam: The decks are getting cleared at Bhogapuram International Airport as the first commercial flight is set to take off on the first Sunday of 2026. Designed and developed by GMR Visakhapatnam International Airport Limited (GVIAL), the greenfield project has been taken up in a public-private partnership mode.

Developed in roughly about 2,200 acres of site with an estimated cost of Rs 4,592 crore, major stretches of the project are in various stages of completion. As work related to the world class infrastructure and terminals pick up pace, GMR officials assert that strict timelines are being followed to wrap up the project in a couple of months. As part of the first trial run, an Air India aircraft is set to depart from Delhi and land at Vizianagaram airport at 11 am on Sunday. Union Minister for Civil Aviation K. Ram Mohan Naidu, MP Kalisetti Appalanaidu along with aviation officials are boarding the first commercial flight to Bhogapuram.

Following the successful completion of this final trial run, the Ministry of Civil Aviation will initiate formal discussions with multiple airlines, paving the way for the commencement of commercial flight operations from May.

Even as the airport aims at 6 million passengers in the initial years, most of the terminal buildings, cargo and logistics infrastructure is getting wrapped up faster than they have been planned before. In addition, the proposed GMR MANSAS EduCity is set to not just infuse an unprecedented growth in the region but also serve as a bridge to meet an ever-increasing demand for domestic and international skilled aviation professionals.

On January 4 (Sunday), the landing of the commercial flight is slated in the presence of Union Civil Aviation Minister, officials from the GVIAL, alliance leaders, among others. The Bhogapuram Airport is expected to contribute significantly to the growth chapter of Coastal Andhra region like never before as it boosts regional connectivity, trade, tourism along with creation of employment opportunities in the sector.