Amaravati: Around 50 kilometres from Visakhapatnam, Bhogapuram International Airport, located in Vizianagaram district, received its first flight on Sunday, January 4.
Air India flight from New Delhi was welcomed with ceremonial water cannons as it touched down, completing the first trial run on the 3.8-km runway.
Union Civil Minister K Rammohan Naidu, along with Vizianagaram MP Kalisetti Appala Naidu and District Collector S Ramsundar Reddy, was present at the ceremonial event. He called it historic in the aviation sector and hoped it would bring benefits for the North Andhra region. “Roads leading to the airport would be widened, providing a hassle-free journey for passengers coming from Vishakapatnam and other regions,” he said.
GMR Visakhapatnam International Airport Limited (GVIAL) is developing a greenfield airport spread over 2,200 acres at an estimated cost of Rs 4,725 crore. Proposed in 2014, the airport is expected to become operational within six months.
The airport can handle up to 200 flights and accommodate parking for 18 aircraft at night, and has a capacity to handle 20,000 tonnes of cargo annually.
GMR Group Deputy Managing Director I Prabhakara Rao said 96 per cent of the work has been completed. According to him, around 33 per cent of passengers will originate from Visakhapatnam district, and the remaining will come from North Andhra, Odisha, Chhattisgarh and other regions.
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