Kadapa airport to take wings next month

Kadapa airport to take wings next month
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Highlights

After several postponements the Kadapa airport with a slew of modern facilities is all set for inauguration in March. This was discussed during the recent Collectors’ conference by Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu.

  • March 1 is the tentative date
  • Works slowed down after YSR’s death

Kadapa: After several postponements the Kadapa airport with a slew of modern facilities is all set for inauguration in March. This was discussed during the recent Collectors’ conference by Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu.

The meeting decided the inauguration of the airport on March 1. The stage is set for the expeditious completion of various works. Initially flights in the morning and evening are to be operated.

Leaders from the district—who have to travel to Chennai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad—are looking forward to the much-anticipated inauguration.

Initially, the airport, fit for periodic landing of Vayudoot aircraft, was launched in 1985. Later these flights were stopped. Former Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy concentrated on the full-scale development of the airport, which is spread over 1,060 acres, after coming to power in 2004.

Various works like two-km runway, air traffic control tower, administrative building, permanent terminal, power house, internal roads, car parking were taken up. After YSR’s death, these works were slowed down.


Later the Civil Aviation Ministry gave permission for a temporary passenger terminal. An amount of Rs 12 crore was sanctioned for the internal roads, a power house. Flights were to take off in 2009 after the completion of these works. However, they got delayed once again. A two-km runway and a 12- km compound wall were completed at a cost of Rs 21 crore.

In 2010 tenders for the second phase works were called. Although they were to be completed in 2011, these works got stuck yet again. The completed works included 6,000ft runway, terminal building costing Rs13 crore, power house, approach roads and car parking. The electrical works were completed at a cost of Rs 5 crore. The ‘muhurat’ for the airport trial run was fixed in January last year. It was deferred once again, for various reasons.

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