Un-served airports to be made operational

Hyderabad, July 29 (INN): Information Technology Minister K. Tarakarama Rao has welcomed the Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS) of Central Government under the National Civil Aviation Policy 2016.

Addressing the national conference on Civil Aviation in New Delhi on Friday, KTR said that the RCS would bring ease in travel ensure all round development of Telangana State.

KTR informed that the Airports Authority of India (AAI), the designated implementing agency for RCS, was already in touch with the state government for Warangal and Adilabad airports. "The indicated requirement by the AAI for 195 acres for terminal building (& total requirement of 438 acres) for Warangal airport may be examined afresh as it seems to be on the higher side. While the pre-feasibility study undertaken by AAI in Adilabad indicates land requirement of 347 acres and 554 acres in two phases, I may also point out that the Indian Air Force has sought NOC from the State Government to set up a full-fledged Air Force station in Adilabad which will also be used for civil aircrafts and commercial usage," he said.

The minister said that Basant Nagar was is a useful location and would cater to the need of Ramagundem, Jaypore and other towns of Karimnagar district. He said Dundigal, Hakimpet and Nadirgul are located in the outskirts of Hyderabad and might not serve any significant purpose, since the city already has two full fledged airports. Nagarjuna Sagar, being a important point in the Buddhist tourism circuit, will be a very useful RCS point in view of its potential of religious tourism as well as general tourism. Nalgonda will get increasing flow because of the proposed power projects in Damarcherla, he said.

"Aleru will be an important RCS point in view of the religious potential of Yadadri temple complex. Kagaznagar (Sirpur) might not have immediate commercial viability in terms of passenger flow; however the private operators may take up the viability study," he said.

All 10 RCS have commercial potential and some of these can be considered for Heliports, at least in the initial phase. The AAI should work in close coordination with the State Government to take up few selected RCS initially, he said. He also informed that the feasibility study of a new green filed airport at Kothagudem in Khammam Dist has been undertaken by RITES. The NOC from Ministry of Defense is already obtained for the same and the steering committee of MoCA has to take up for the site clearance. The EIA study has begun and TOR is under formalization;

Likewise, the state government is in touch with AAI for setting up a greenfield facility at Zakranpally in Nizamabad. A pre-feasibility study was taken up and AAI has recommended acquisition of 554 acres and that an OLS survey needs to be taken up AAI.

He said that the State Government was in the process of setting up Hyderabad Pharma City (HPC) and NIMZ city in Medak. Both of these parks will be in an area of more than 12000 acres each and will be housing some of the most advanced Pharma cos and sector specific specialized manufacturing facility. "By virtue of their multinational nature, both will require air connectivity. The state government will provide required land for setting up of RCS in these two parks and request GOI to include them in the list of proposed RCS in the state," the minister said.

KTR also promised that the State Government, in order to encourage RCS airports and heliports, would provide several concessions. They include reduction in VAT to 1% on ATF at RCS Airports for 10 years; Provide minimum land, wherever required, free of cost and arrange for multi-modal hinterland connectivity; Provide security and fire services free of cost and provide electricity and water at concessional rates.