HYDERABAD: Telangana is set to get its second airport as the state government on Sunday sanctioned Rs 205 crore for acquiring 280.3 acres of land for the construction of Mamnoor Airport in Warangal.
The government has also accepted the Airports Authority of India’s (AAI) proposal to develop the airport for A-320 type aircraft operations under the instrument flight rules (IFR). The AAI will bear the costs of infrastructure development, operation and maintenance of the airport.
The Warangal collector has been authorised to acquire the land and expedite the process. The government has permitted the handover of an additional 253 acres of land, free of cost and free from encumbrances, to the AAI for runway expansion and other works.
Journey so far
In 2018, the state government proposed developing six regional airports, with Mamnoor being one of them. The AAI was appointed to prepare Techno-Economic Feasibility Reports (TEFRs) for these projects. By June 2021, the AAI declared Mamnoor Airport feasible for development, subject to certain clearances.
In July 2022, the AAI chairman announced that the body was prepared to develop Warangal Airport to accommodate A-320-type aircraft for IFR operations. The AAI also agreed to bear the airport’s infrastructure, operational, and maintenance costs. As part of this initiative, a master plan was prepared. The AAI requested the state government to provide an additional 253 acres of land for the airport’s expansion. The AAI also required the state government to obtain an NOC from Hyderabad International Airport Limited (HIAL) for the operationalisation of Mamnoor Airport.
NOC given for Mamnoor Airport on Oct 23
At a board meeting on October 23 this year, the Rajiv Gandhi Hyderabad International Airport Limited issued the NOC, relaxing a concession agreement clause that restricted the establishment of another airport within 150 km of the Hyderabad airport.
Mamnoor Airport, built in 1930 by the last Nizam, Mir Osman Ali Khan, was the largest airport of the pre-Independence era. It catered to industries like the paper mills in Kagaznagar, Asifabad and Azam Jahi Mills in Warangal. However, the airport has remained inactive since 1981.
The revival of Mamnoor Airport is expected to benefit residents of Warangal and surrounding districts, improving connectivity and supporting industries such as the Kakatiya Textile Park.