Flights from Vizag airport to resume in a week
VISAKHAPATNAM: Flight services from Visakhapatnam airport will take at least a week to resume as the airport is closed for repairs after the damage caused by Hudhud.
Though the estimation of damages caused by the cyclone is yet to be taken up by the Airport Authority of India (AAI) and the Navy, official sources said the losses could be at least Rs 100-150 crore. However, chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu said that the airport suffered a loss of Rs 500.
The airport was shutdown on Saturday as a precautionary measure ahead of the arrival of cyclone Hudhud.
As the terminal was damaged, it would be a while before a plane can take off from here. Till the airport is made operational, passengers wishing to fly in or out of the city will have to travel to Rajahmundry, the nearest airport about 190 kms away.
The roof of the airport was ripped off and the premises resembled a battle ground as debris lay all around. All the television sets, display boards and window panes have been completely shatters.
The airline counters are nowhere to be seen. The security equipment used for checking the passengers and their baggage is not functioning.
The good news is that the air traffic control system suffered only minor damages and the runway escaped the fury of the cyclone. On Tuesday, only naval flights and those carrying relief materials operated from here. The officials said right now operating a commercial flight from here is a risky affair.
"We are yet to take up the loss estimations. But initial observations revealed that the losses could be at least Rs 100 crore. The exact extent of the damage caused by the cyclone can be known only after the power supply resumes when we check the functioning of the communication network and other equipment including the air traffic control tower," said an official on condition of anonymity.
He said though they can commence operation of passenger flights after a week, it might be a temporary arrangement and the airport might not allow operation of all flights.
News Posted: 15 October, 2014
|
