Telangana to get 3 new airports, Centre asks state to speed up land acquisition
Presently, Telangana has only one functional airport – Rajiv Gandhi International Airport at Shamshabad on the outskirts of Hyderabad. Though there is an airport at Begumpet in Hyderabad, it is not being used for civilian air passengers as it is meant only for VIP aircrafts.
The central government is ready to extend its cooperation to set up three new airports in Telangana if the state government expedites the process of necessary land acquisition for the same.This was indicated by Union minister of tourism and culture G Kishan Reddy in a letter to Telangana chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao on Saturday.
Presently, Telangana has only one functional airport – Rajiv Gandhi International Airport at Shamshabad on the outskirts of Hyderabad. Though there is an airport at Begumpet in Hyderabad, it is not being used for civilian air passengers as it is meant only for VIP aircrafts.
On the other hand, the neighbouring Andhra Pradesh has six functional airports for civilian traffic – Visakhapatnam, Rajahmundry, Vijayawada, Tirupati, Kadapa and Kurnool.
In his letter to the Telangana chief minister, Kishan Reddy reminded that the Airports Authority of India (AAI) had already submitted feasibility reports for the three new airports – at Adilabad, Warangal and Nizamabad – to the state government in June 2021 itself.
“Union minister of civil aviation Jyotiraditya Scindia has already written to the state government in October 2021, stating that the Centre will extend necessary assistance in constructing the three airports,” he said.
While Adilabad and Warangal already have airstrips, a greenfield airport was approved at Jakranpalli in Nizamabad district.
Reddy said the AAI was in possession of 748 acres at Warangal and will require another 27.7 acres in the first phase and 333.86 acres in the second phase for the development of a full-fledged airport.
“At present, the existing airstrip at Warangal is in a bad condition and cannot be used for operating any kind of flights. I request the state government to remove all the hurdles and take up repairs to develop it into a functional airport to enable operation of private flights,” he said.
With regard to Adilabad airport, the Union minister said there were over 100 road blocks in the approach funnel of the runway which should be cleared immediately and the road linking Adilabad with adjacent villages passing through the airport be diverted.“It will require 122 acres in the first phase and 175 acres in the second phase for the airport’s construction in Adilabad,” he said.
For the construction of the greenfield airport at Jakranpally, 510 acres in the first phase and 235 acres in the second phase will be required. “The state government has to take approvals from the Union civil aviation ministry and also Indian Air Force, after removing all the hurdles in the land to be acquired for the airport,” Reddy said and appealed to the chief minister to take initiative in this regard and obtain necessary permissions for the new airports.
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