Commercial operations at Bhogapuram International Airport are expected to begin between July and August, as the greenfield airport nears completion and moves into its final phase of readiness.
The airport officially named Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport has already achieved a major milestone with the successful completion of a validation flight in January 2026, confirming the operational readiness of its runway, navigation systems, and air traffic procedures.
While the formal inauguration is expected around late June 2026, full-scale passenger operations are likely to stabilise in the July-August window, as airlines ramp up services and final regulatory clearances are completed.
Developed under a public-private partnership by the GMR Group, the airport is located about 40–45 km from Visakhapatnam and is designed to serve as the primary aviation hub for the North Andhra region.
In its first phase, the airport is expected to handle around 6 million passengers annually, with future expansion planned to significantly increase capacity. The project is part of a broader effort to decongest the existing Visakhapatnam Airport, which currently operates under military constraints and has limited scope for expansion.
Construction of the airport is in its final stages, with over 95-97% of work completed, and only finishing works, interior development, and regulatory approvals remaining.
Once operational, the Bhogapuram airport is expected to significantly enhance regional connectivity, boost tourism, and support industrial and logistics growth in Andhra Pradesh, positioning the region as a key aviation and economic hub on India’s eastern coast.
