New Survey for Anantapur Airport Project, Report in 30 Days
Ram Mohan Naidu responded positively to the proposal and directed officials to examine the feasibility of the project
Anantapur:In view of the adverse feasibility report on the proposed airport plans near Anantapur district headquarters, the state government is making a fresh bid to obtain central sanction for the project.
Finance minister Payyavula Kesav and Anantapur MP Ambica Lakshminarayana held a meeting with civil aviation minister Ram Mohan Naidu on Monday, and sought a fresh comprehensive survey.
Ram Mohan Naidu responded positively to the proposal and directed officials to examine the feasibility of the project. He advised the officials to conduct a fresh survey and submit a report within 30 days.
In the meeting in New Delhi on Monday, Kesav and Lakshminarayana explained the strategic importance of an airport for Anantapur district, particularly for the transportation and export of horticultural produce.
Kesav pointed out that a previous survey conducted in the vicinity of Kuderu had reportedly found that the presence of hills on either side could pose difficulties for aircraft operations and prevent landings from both directions.
However, he urged the central minister to explore the possibility of adopting a one-sided landing approach, similar to the operational model earlier followed for the old airport in Visakhapatnam.
Kesav requested the civil aviation ministry to conduct a fresh survey in the Kuderu region to examine the feasibility. He also urged the Centre to extend the benefits of the UDAN scheme to Anantapur.
The Union government has been taking several measures to expand regional air connectivity across the country and set an ambitious target of developing 100 more airports over the next decade. The minister urged the Centre to include Anantapur in this expansion programme.
MP Lakshminarayana explained that Anantapur district was among the leading horticulture-producing regions in the country, with large quantities of fruits and other horticultural produce being transported to markets across states and abroad. An airport in the district would create significant opportunities for air cargo operations, enabling farmers and exporters to transport their produce quickly to domestic and international markets.
Improved logistics, he said, would help reduce transportation time and post-harvest losses while enabling farmers to access better prices and expand their market reach. The proposed airport would give a major boost to horticulture exports from the region.
The minister said the state government was working towards developing Rayalaseema as a horticulture hub.
