VIJAYAWADA: Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu said emphasis should be laid on setting up an aviation university and a training centre in the State, besides developing seven new airports in addition to the existing seven.
Foreseeing demand for parking of private flights in airports in the future, he directed officials to construct the new airports by taking into consideration all the aspects.
Holding a review meeting, along with Civil Aviation Minister K Ram Mohan Naidu, at his Undavalli residence on Friday, he took stock of the expansion of the existing airports, besides constructing the new ones.
Naidu focused on construction of the international airport at Bhogapuram. While the Airports Authority of India is managing Gannavaram, Rajahmundry, Tirupati and Kadapa airports, the State government is overseeing the maintenance of Kurnool airport. Puttaparthi is only a private airstrip.
Though Bhogapuram airport is now getting ready, keeping in view the increasing necessities of the people, the State government has initiated measures to construct seven more airports.
A decision has been taken to establish airports in Kuppam, Dagadarthi, Srikakulam, Tadepalligudem, Nagarjuna Sagar, between Tuni and Annavaram, and Ongole. As per the feasibility report that has already been prepared for Kuppam airport, it will be constructed in two phases. In the first phase, construction will be taken up in 683 acres, and in the second and final phase in 567 acres, which together will have an area of 1,250 acres.
The officials, however, informed the Chief Minister that as IAF, HAL and Bengaluru International Airports are closer to the proposed Kuppam airport, the issue of airspace should be taken into consideration, besides obtaining No Objection Certificate from all the organisations.
With regard to Srikakulam airport, feasibility survey has already been completed, and it will be built in two phases in an extent of 1,383 acres, while the land acquisition process has already begun. For Dagadarthi airport, acquisition of 635 acres of land has already been completed during the previous TDP regime, and another 745 acres need to be acquired now, and it has got all the necessary permissions. The airport is expected to be useful to industries as the BPCL refinery is coming up in the region.
The Chief Minister instructed the officials to study the possibility of building an airstrip in Sri City SEZ. Already 657 acres of land has been identified for Ongole airport, but the feasibility report is yet to be prepared for the project. Another airport has been proposed in Palnadu district near Nagarjuna Sagar in an extent of 1,670 acres, and of which 500 acres of land is yet to be acquired as it needs forest clearance.
Though a decision has been taken to acquire 1,123 acres of land for Tadepalligudem airport, its feasibility is being examined as Rajahmundry and Gannavaram airports are very close to it. Also, a decision has been taken to build an airport between Tuni and Annavaram. There is a need for an airport in the region as several industries are coming up, besides a steel plant at Nakkapalli, he said.
Naidu also felt the need for an airport near Tadipatri, and asked the officials to examine the proposal.