Rammohan Naidu the Minister for Aviation is looking at Andhra and Telangana to develop the airstrips and also create new Airports across the Telugu states.
Strategic locations like Nizamabad, Adilabad, Bhadradri Kothagudem and Peddapalli, the government is to tap into major developments and expand the state’s air connectivity.
While Telangana has just one operational airport, Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) in Hyderabad, for the entire state, neighbouring Andhra Pradesh boasts of over six operational and one under-construction airports.
The Begumpet airport does not cater commercial flights and serves very limited operations, primarily for training and chartered flights due to an MoU between the central government and the GMR Group, which operates the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport at Shamshabad.
The MoU has prevented the development of Warangal’s Mamnoor airstrip: It stipulates that no airport shall operate within a 150-kilometre radius of the RGIA, and Warangal’s airstrip falls in the circle.
Districts like Bhadradri Kothagudem, Peddapalli, and Adilabad show great potential for development of new airports.
