Kishan: TS not cooperating in setting up 3 new airports

Hyderabad: Union minister of culture, tourism and development of North East Region (DoNER) G. Kishan criticised the Telangana state government for not cooperating in setting up new airports in the state.

The union ministry of civil aviation has written to Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao to set up airports at Adilabad, Nizamabad (Jakranpally) and Warangal, but there was no response, he said.

On Wednesday, Kishan Reddy wrote a letter to the Chief Minister urging him to cooperate with the Central government to set up airports under the Udan scheme, which is aimed at improving air connectivity in tier-II, and III cities.

Earlier, the state government proposed to set up airports at Jakranpally (Nizamabad), Palvancha (Bhadradri Kothagudem), Devarakadra (Mahbubnagar), Mamnoor (Warangal), Basant Nagar (Peddapally) and Adilabad in the state, he said.

Airports Authority of India conducted an OLS survey, soil testing, and techno-economic feasibility study (TEFS) and approved the setting up of airports at Jakranpally, Adilabad and Warangal, he said.

The AAI and Union minister of civil aviation Jyotiraditya Scindia wrote to the BRS government, but it didn’t respond, he said.

The minister ridiculed that BRS MPs are raising questions in Parliament over airports.

“The BJP government increased the number of airports from 74 in 2014 to 140 currently, he said. The Central government is aiming to set up 220 airports by 2026 and the Telangana government, he said.