`500-cr for Mamnoor; Centre ready for Kothagudem, city seaplane
Hyderabad: Union civil aviation minister K. Ram Mohan Naidu announced that the Airports Authority of India (AAI) was ready with a master plan for the terminal and runway at Mamnoor airport with a minimum estimation of Rs 500 crore on getting additional 280 acres of land from the state government.
He also announced that the Centre was ready to set up an airport at Kothagudem, once the AAI gets the technical report and weather details from the state government.
The Begumpet airport may also open for commercial operations in the near future, he indicated. Naidu added that Centre was planning to start an amphibious seaplane service between Hyderabad and Srisailam
Addressing a press conference, Naidu appreciated his Cabinet colleague G. Kishan Reddy, who was present, for acting as a bridge for all the developmental works and pending issues from Telangana with the Centre. He said that the new terminal building at Mamnoor will symbolise the great culture heritage of the region.
The Mamnoor airport would help the region achieve all-round growth, he said. It would have a 2,800-metre-long runway to enable the landing of big jet aircraft
The minister urged the state government to speed up land acquisition and assured to expedite works within 2.5 years as against the three years required to complete works of a new airport.
On plans to re-launch commercial operations from the Begumpet airport in Hyderabad, Naidu said that the air passenger demand was fast picking up in all Metros and many states have been looking for second airports. It is in this context that he said the Begumpet airport may open for commercial operations.
In view of the increased demand, airline companies have ordered for 1,700 new aircraft, he said.
Naidu said that the state government has showed a second site in Kothagudem and the AAI had conducted the feasibility study of the new site. It would take a call after getting clearance from the technical team. The AAI is also going through the feasibility of a new airport at Jakranpally in Nizamabad district. The surface limitations and air space problem are the two issues concerning Jakranpally and once it gets full technical clearance, the Centre is ready to go ahead with a new airport, he said.
On the likelihood of sea-planes in Andhra Pradesh for which a test-flight has been conducted, Naidu said that the Centre was planning to start an amphibious service between Hyderabad and Srisailam. He announced that the new airport at Bhogapuram in Andhra Pradesh would be inaugurated on June 26.
Kishan Reddy said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had stated that an airport would be established in Warangal district when a Unesco delegation was looking for air connectivity ahead of announcing the Ramappa temple as a world heritage site. The same is being fulfilled at Mamnoor.
