State government to build full fledged airport for operating wide bodied aircraft at Mamnoor

State government to develop full-fledged airport in Warangal district, with expansion plans and commitment to complete within 1.5 years.

Minister for Roads and Buildings Komatireddy Venkat Reddy has announced that the State government is firm on developing a full-fledged airport capable of landing by wide-bodied aircraft at Mamnoor in Warangal district in one-and-a-half years.

The government has accorded sanction for release of ₹205 crore for acquiring 253 acres for expansion of the Mamnoor airport and efforts have been intensified to set up a full-fledged airport. Works pertaining to runway expansion, terminal building, air traffic control and navigation instrument installation will be taken up with the sanctioned amount.

The Minister explained how the government convinced the management of GMR Group, with the help of Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, to drop the clause against setting up of airports within 150 km facilitating the setting up of Mamnoor airport. The first phase of the airport will enable operation of smaller flights from there.

This would be followed by landing and take off of wide-bodied aircraft in the second phase so that passengers could fly to Delhi, Bangalore and other destinations from there. “We are committed to complete the works within one-and-a-half years,” he said adding he would meet Civil Aviation Minister K. Ramamohan Naidu in December first week to get the remaining clearances and other assistance from the Centre.

Describing the forward movement of Mamnoor airport as gift to Warangal, Mr. Venkat Reddy said the government had resolved to set up airports at Bhadradri-Kothagudem and Ramagundam in the coming days. Process for setting up the airports had already commenced and they would become operational within four years from now.

The Minister said that work on the expansion of Hyderabad-Vijayawada highway as six lane one had been delayed as the concessionaire GMR Group had refused to take up the works after the State bifurcation. The government paid compensation to the group and the NHAI was handed over toll collection on the highway. Simultaneously, land acquisition for expansion had been completed and work would commence in February once the detailed project report was prepared.

The Minister said that not even 30% of the work on the Uppal-Medipally elevated corridor was completed almost a decade after it was conceived. The Congress government focussed its attention on the busy stretch and ensured that 50%of works were completed. “Work on around 5 km stretch is pending completion. We will ensure that the stretch is completed within one-and-a-half years,” he said.