Experts suggest expansion of present airport till operations increase
Farmers not ready part with their lands for the Greenfield international airport.
Visakhapatnam: Farmers are not ready to give away their lands for Greenfield international airport proposed at Bhogapuram and experts in the field of aviation sector are pointing that it’s not feasible to run such an airport with the existing less number of daily flight operations. Even if any private developer comes forward to develop such an airport, for turnaround heavy user charges and landing charges will be levied, which will burden passengers and airlines respectively. They are suggesting that, the present airport can be expanded till the number of operations are increased and then plan a Greenfield international airport.
“Begumpet airport’s daily operations were on average 200, when Samshabad airport was launched. Despite so many operations, to sustain, Rs 500 was levied as user charge on a domestic passenger and Rs 1,800 on an international passenger by the private developer, at Samshabad airport.” “Besides, around Rs 1 lakh was collected as landing charges for a larger flight and Rs 12,000 for a small aircraft. Whereas at Vizag airport, around Rs 12,000 is charged as landing charges for any aircraft. This will go up abnormally if a private developer is entrusted the job of establishing the airport with the present operations,” Air Travelers Association of India (ATA), president, D. Varada Reddy told DC.
Mr Reddy also said an express highway is needed to reach Bhogapuram, which is 55 kms away from the city, in a relatively short time. “Around 25,000 sft space on the western side at the existing airport can be used as arrival area for both domestic and international flights. Another 25,000 sft of space on the eastern side of the existing building can serve as domestic/international departure area.”
“Three more aerobridges along with three already in operation can also be developed. Three more baggage carousels in the expanded arrival area, two for international passengers and one for the domestic passengers in addition to existing three can also be developed at the existing airport.”
“Navy has always been cooperative and the bigger Greenfield airport can be planned after the operations go up which is when it will be feasible,” Mr Reddy said.
( Source : dc correspondent )
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