Telangana shortlists airstrips locations

Hyderabad: The state government has shortlisted Peddapalli, Bhupalapalli, Adilabad and Mahbubnagar districts for setting up airstrips. The government will use funds under the central government’s Airport Infrastructure Development Programme for the purpose. Chief Secretary S.K. Joshi on Thursday held a meeting with TS Aviation Academy to speed up proposals.

He asked officials to submit feasibility reports for the new airstrips to the Centre within a month. In June the Union government had announced it would invest Rs 1 lakh crore to develop airport infrastructure in all states. By partnering with state governments, the centre gets the land, while it provides the infrastructure for Greenfield airports.

Mr Joshi asked the managing committee of TS Avia-tion Academy to inspect and identify required land parcels to provide air connectivity to all districts in Telangana. The officials have identifi-ed 757 acres of land in Mam-noor, Warangal, for the dev-elopment of an airstrip, as well as 265 acres in Basantn-agar in Peddapally district, 850 acres in Jakranpally, in Nizamabad district, and 400 acres in Adilabad. 

Efforts are underway to develop airstrips in Addakula in Mahbubnagar district and in Kothagudem. The Chief Secretary lauded the Academy for achieving 100 per cent placement for its students in M.Sc aviation courses. The course is of five years duration. The Academy currently has two flights two train aspirants.training aircraft and the government recently sanctioned Rs 5 crore to procure another one.