Andhra Pradesh - Vijayawada   

AAI puts on hold works on terminal building

VIJAYAWADA: The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has put on hold the proposed works on the development and construction of a terminal building and other modern facilities at the city airport located at Gannavaram in view of lack of sufficient support for acquisition of additional land.

Official sources at the airport say that there is no way the works on the terminal building can be taken up if the State Government continues to neglect the handing over of additional land required for the development and expansion of the airport on a permanent basis. The efforts required for getting the approval of the AAI board for the development of permanent facilities at the airport have also been postponed because of the obstacles.

Though the AAI is going ahead with the extension works on the runway, it has stopped its efforts for developing terminal building, approach road to it, parking facility, isolation bay and part of approach lighting for the runway. This is mainly because the AAI has no intimation from the State Government about the progress in its efforts for handing over the additional land for the airport’s expansion.

The AAI officials say that it is the responsibility of the district administration to move fast and hand over the additional land so that a full-fledged plan can be brought into implementation for the development of permanent facilities at the airport. Besides, Andhra Chamber of Commerce and Industry president M. Rajaiah has also written to the Chief Minister about the need for immediate handing over the land to hasten the process of improving air connectivity of the city.

The industry is of the view that though there is good potential in the city, it is not able to attract companies in a big way because of the lack of good air connectivity. For the modernisation and expansion of the airport, an MoU has been reached between the AAI and the Government of Andhra Pradesh way back in February 2007. It was for the acquisition of additional land for the modernisation. But this is yet to happen, as the Government and the district administration have stopped acting on this for reasons best known to themselves.

As of now, works on the runway expansion are in progress and these works involve strengthening and construction of apron and taxi way. These works are expected to be completed by September or October.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

AAI puts on hold works on terminal building
Polavaram seventh package awaits forest clearance
‘Volleyball hit by migration of players’
Parents told to take note of child’s emotions, not marks
Three held in independent candidate case
CPI secretary attends court
Literary meet
Need to invent new technologies: expert
In Vijayawada Today

Copyright © 2009, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu