Tourism will get a major boost with the inauguration of the regional airport with a 2,000-metre runway at Orvakal, about 35 km from Kurnool, said Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Tuesday.
Promising to fulfil his assurance of setting up a High Court Bench at Kurnool, Mr. Naidu said very soon Orvakal and Kurnool town would get merged with a number of industries coming up as part of the government promoting it as an ‘Industrial Hub’.
A five-road junction would turn the place into a real hub for tourists with the Belum Caves, Mahanandi, Srisailam and the Orvakal Rock Garden bringing several tourists from Amaravati, Hyderabad, and Bengaluru with small aircraft landing here.
An MoU was signed for starting a training programme in paragliding for adventure sports lovers. He said 7,200 acres had been earmarked for the industrial hub but 2,500 acres more would be kept aside for future demand.
“Currently Jairaj Ispat has laid foundation, and we will ask them to start operations soon,” Mr. Naidu said.
Jain Irrigation and Ramco Cement had set up units near Kolimikuntla providing jobs to at least 1,000 persons.
By bringing water from the HNSS canal, Kurnool had risen to the third place in horticulture crops and advised farmers to start their own units for value addition of their produce.
Criticising the Centre for not taking up the Orvakal airport project despite assured revenue from the operations, he said the State government had invested ₹88.5 crore for the amenities and making the airport operational for small aircraft.
