The Hindu Business Line : Floods force closure of Vizag airport

MONSOON CASUALTY: A decommissioned naval aircraft placed near the War Memorial on the beach road in Visakhapatnam tumbled in heavy wind and rain in the early hours of Friday. - K.R. Deepak

Visakhapatnam , Aug. 4

The Visakhapatnam airport has been flooded due to heavy, cyclonic rains caused by depression in the Bay of Bengal during the past two days. Flights have been suspended since Thursday.

It is not known when the airport will be cleared and when flights would resume operations. Last year too, during the rainy season, the airport was flooded for long periods affecting flights operations.

The surplus water from Meghadrigedda reservoir swamped the airport then. This time, there is no water release from the reservoir. But water gushing in from the hill streams in the vicinity caused the flooding.

Last year, there was an outcry over the frequent flooding of the airport and the authorities promised to solve the problem by taking necessary steps. There was even a proposal to construct a mini reservoir, to absorb the floodwaters from Meghadrigedda reservoir, at a cost of Rs 25 crore.

The airport is being upgraded and a new terminal being built to receive international flights. The projects are expected to be completed by 2007. The number of domestic flights from here has also increased of late, with Kingfisher Airlines operating flights.

Mr D. Panduranga Rao, President of the Visakhapatnam Air Travellers' Association, said that last year the association had suggested to the authorities that high-power pumps be procured for draining out the airport in the event of flooding.

"We also suggested certain steps for diversion of water from Meghadrigedda reservoir. We expect the authorities to show some sense of urgency in dealing with the problem," he said.

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