HYDERABAD: The
Telangana government has set the ball rolling to develop six
airports in the state. The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has been roped in to conduct techno-feasibility studies, both at existing airstrips and for greenfield airports, and it will be paid Rs 4.5 crore consultancy fee for the job.
“The idea is to have airports at all six places and once the techno-feasibility studies are completed, there will be more movement on the proposal,” a state government official told TOI.
The infrastructure and investment department has already sanctioned Rs 1.06 crore.
The airports have been proposed in Warangal, Peddapalle, Nizamabad, Adilabad, Khammam and Mahbubnagar. Following a letter from the transport, roads and buildings department, the infrastructure and investment department has released an initial payment to start the techno-feasibility study.
In Warangal, the airport has been planned at Mamnoor, while in Peddapalle at Basantnagar. In Nizamabad, the airport would come up at Jakranpally and in Adilabad, a place near the town was being looked at. In Khammam, the airport has been planned at Kothagudem, in Mahbubnagar at Addakula. There is, however, a technical issue for the airport in Warangal as no airport is to function within 150 km radius of Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) as per an agreement the airport developers GMR had with the then united Andhra Pradesh government.
According to officials, an initiative has been taken to resolve issues connected with developing of
new airports at different places in the state. Land has already been identified in districts, where the airports have been planned. Last year, CM K Chandrasekhar Rao announced that 750 acres of land had been identified for the airport in Basantnagar in Peddapalle. Around 850 acres of land has been identified for the airport in Nizamabad. Some 350 acre of land has been identified for the airport in Adilabad.