Kothagudem airport not a flight of fancy
Replying to a question, Mr Raju said that Kothagudem airport was still not ready but flights would be operated as and when it is ready.
Hyderabad: Union Civil Aviation minister P. Ashok Gajapathi Raju on Thursday promised to start flight services from Kothagudem airport almost immediately after its construction is complete.
He was speaking to newsmen in Delhi in connection with the new regional connectivity of flight services as part of the “Údan” scheme from existing as well as unused air strips in the country.
Replying to a question, Mr Raju said that Kothagudem airport was still not ready but flights would be operated as and when it is ready.
Presently, there is no airport at Kothagudem which is 320 km from Hyderabad. The process to acquire about 1,600 acres between Kothagudem-Palvoncha towns is still on. The process of completing the airport is expected to take at least three years. Once completed, Kothagudem would be the second airport in TS after Hyderabad.
Mr Raju said that flight services from Kadapa to Hyderabad (True Jet) will begin from June. Similarly, Air Odisha will start services between Chennai-Vijayawada from this September.