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Air connectivity in Telangana appears set for a boost, with a slew of measures planned by the state government.
The Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) at Shamshabad, under the GMR Group, is the only commercial airport in the state while the old airport at Begumpet, in the heart of the city, is now used only for VIP movement.
The main connectivity between Hyderabad and other parts of the state is through road and railways.
In its recent meeting, the state Cabinet decided to ramp up airport connectivity and ease traffic.
It approved a proposal for a second commercial airport at Hakimpet. At present, all commercial, international, and domestic operations are carried out at RGIA.
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The state government now plans to use the Hakimpet defence airport, located about 40 km from the city, as a commercial airport to ease the congestion at RGIA.
RGIA sees a footfall of 2.5 crore passengers annually. According to Municipal Administration and Urban Development Minister KT Rama Rao, the state government would request the Centre to consider the proposal for the use of Hakimpet airport for commercial operations.
The government suggests that the Hakimpet station could function as a hybrid model, like in Pune and Goa, where the airport is used both for defence and civil aviation.
Warangal in spotlight
A proposal to develop the Mamnoor airport in Warangal has also been approved.
The existing airstrip with a runway of 1.8 km was constructed in 1930 during the Interwar period in the erstwhile Hyderabad State of the Nizam and was used by the British-Indian Airforce during World War II.
Additional land acquisition would be needed for the construction of a terminal building and to expand the runway to 3.9 km to facilitate the landing of larger aircraft like the Boeing 747.
An airport in Warangal assumes significance from a business perspective and could augur well for regional development, as the government is promoting the historic town as a tier-2 IT hub, besides the added attraction of its proximity to the Kakatiya Mega Textile Park (KMTP). As the erstwhile capital of the Kakatiya dynasty (11-14th century AD), it’s also a major tourist centre.
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