Key aviation infrastructure commissioned at Tirupati Airport
The newly installed Instrument Landing System (ILS), Doppler Very High Frequency Omni Range (DVOR), and Distance Measuring Equipment (DME), along with the extended portion of the runway at the Tirupati International Airport, were virtually inaugurated by M Suresh, Member (ANS), AAI, and AK Gupta, Member (Planning), AAI.
Tirupati: The newly installed Instrument Landing System (ILS), Doppler Very High Frequency Omni Range (DVOR), and Distance Measuring Equipment (DME), along with the extended portion of the runway at the Tirupati International Airport, were virtually inaugurated by M Suresh, Member (ANS), AAI, and AK Gupta, Member (Planning), AAI. The event was attended by Tirupati MP Dr Maddila Gurumoorthy, Airport Director Srinivas Rao Manne, advisory committee members and other key stakeholders.
The total expenditure for these projects amounted to Rs 153.16 crore, significantly enhancing the airport’s operational capabilities. The newly commissioned DVOR/DME for Runway-26 increases the maximum aircraft handling capacity from 100 to 200 aircraft per day, with a project cost of Rs 5.61 crore. The Thales ILS, Cat-1, was trans-installed at a cost of Rs 4.4 crore, reducing the minimum visibility requirement from 1500 meters to 700 meters. Additionally, the glide angle was adjusted from 3.2 degrees to 3 degrees, enabling smoother descents in all weather conditions.
A major upgrade to the runway has also been completed, with the existing 2,285-meter runway extended by 240 meters on one side and 1,285 meters on the other. This expansion increases the total available runway length to 3,810 meters, making it the longest runway among all AAI-operated airports in India. The enhanced runway can now accommodate wide-body aircraft such as the Boeing 777 and Airbus 330. The total cost for the runway expansion was Rs 143.15 crore.
During the inauguration, MP Gurumoorthy urged officials to introduce direct flights from Tirupati to Kuwait, addressing the travel needs of passengers from the Rayalaseema and Nellore regions. He also emphasized the need to expedite the process of establishing a Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) center at the airport, for which tenders have already been called.
