Regional carrier TruJet has secured Andhra Pradesh Government nod for viability gap funding (VGF) to continue its Chennai- Kadapa-Vijayawada and Vijayawada-Kadapa-Chennai routes for one more year starting from May 1, 2021.

The State Cabinet approved a move to provide about ₹20 crore per year as VGF by the State government.

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An MoU was signed between Government of Andhra Pradesh, Airports Authority of India and the Ministry of Civil Aviation in 2016 for implementation of Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS). Following this, Trujet Airlines is operating at Kadapa Airport.

The operations of Chennai-Kadapa-Vijayawada and Vijayawada-Kadapa -Chennai sector closed from May 1, 2021, due to withdrawal of VGF from the Central government. About ₹19.89 crore is required as VGF for 144 RCS seat per flight for the proposed sector. Therefore, the Government decided to extend VGF of ₹20 crore per year.

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Airport renamed

In yet another important decision, the State Cabinet decided to name the Orvakal Airport located on the outskirts of Kurnool as Uyyalawada Narasimha Reddy Airport.

This is the first airport in South India to be developed entirely by a State government; it was inaugurated by AP Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on March 25, 2021, and flights started from March 28, 2021.