Nellore airport plans shift to Krishnapatnam

Nellore: Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu's plan to construct Nellore Airport close to Krishnapatnam Port instead of at Dagadarthi has been causing heartbu-rns to people of Kavali constituency.

The CM has requested the Civil Aviation minister and officials to consider shifting the proposed airport to Krishnapatnam citing locational advantage during an event at Vijayawada on Thursday.

District officials, who had started procuring 1,400 acres of land at Dagadarthi, while the government had exempted stamp duty to registration of land for airports both at Dagadarthi and Bhogapuram are doubtful if it was possible to secure a nod from Airports Authority of India (AAI) with respect to feasibility.
They have pointed out that the AAI team had rejected two sites before selecting the site in Dagadarthi that was done after a close study.

Moreover a government of India restriction on minimum distance of 150 km between two airports may also come in the way because Krishnapatnam is within 120 km to Renigunta airport.

However, urban development minister P. Narayana has expressed confidence in overcoming the constraint and obtaining the AAI approval since both Renigunta airport and the proposed one at Krishnapatnam are in the government sector.

Speaking to this newspaper, he also justified moving the airport to Krishnapatnam region citing the scope for cargo transportation besides passenger traffic. Possible air passengers living in Gudur, Nayudupeta and Sullurpeta will prefer Krishnapatnam since it will be closer to them than Chennai.

"Some airports like Kadapa are not doing good business because they only depend on passenger traffic. Mr Naidu feels that linking cargo would encourage airlines to operate more services to small airports" Mr Narayana said.

Meanwhile Kavali YSR Congress legislator Ramireddy Pratap Reddy squarely blamed the local TD leaders for projects being moved out from Kavali. Stressing that Ramayapatnam Port will be a boon to Kavali, he alleged that TD went back on that project also though it is part of party manifesto.

Search on for airport land
The state government has asked the Nellore District Collector to look for land in the vicinity of Krishnapatnam Port for the proposed airport. Urban development minister P. Narayana told this to this newspaper.

He said there are many industries in and around Krishnapatnam Port. There is potential to operate cargo flights if the airport is close to the port.

Asked about the possibility of using nearly 2,600 acres of land belonging to Krishnapatnam Ultra Mega Power Project (UMPP) of Reliance Power lying idle near Krishnapatnam Port since the company has sought to exit from the stalled project, the minister said it may be difficult going by the land cost factor.

However, revenue officials feel that the state government can take back the land because the company has failed to establish the unit within specified timeframe as per the agreement.

A revenue official said they have sufficient land in the southern parts of Krishnapatnam Port while pointing nearly 8,000 acres identified for procurement in Chillakur and Kota mandals for the proposed Chennai-Bengaluru Industrial Corridor.