Hi CSP,
Start small. 500 boxes would be too much if the surrounding is non forest area, they will perish when there is no food. Round the year the area should be flowering. Else you may have to artificially feed them.
Out in the north have a look at this
kashmirhoney.com/beekeeping.html
These are european bees, do not survive in south. Their productivity is 2 to 3 times the local ones. Each colony is in excess of 80k workers, where as the local one called “Thurbe Jenu” has a max of 30 to 40k. Its much more technical & complicated than this. Its better you visit the GKVK and have a one to one discussion.
By the way where are you from ? Where do you plan to set it up ? Be careful, there are no instruments to check whether the honey is genuine or fake. So any unbranded honey, every one thinks its fake.
More over unlike western countries, we indians do not consume honey as a mandatory item. Except for some religious festivities, So distribution and marketing is a hurdle.
Just try it out. Buy one kg honey bottle and leave it on your dining table. See the consumption pattern, Mind you it takes a lot of time to finish that one kg 
Regards
Murali