Hyderabad: Union Minister for Civil Aviation Jyotiraditya Scindia on Saturday assured that the Centre would extend full support to Hyderabad International Airport for its expansion.
Scindia, who was on a visit to Telangana to launch state government’s ‘Medicine from the Sky’ project, called on Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao.
Scindia had written to the chief minister on September 2 to re-examine the request of Hyderabad International Airport Limited (HIAL) for extending concession agreement for another 30 years.
The central minister had requested the state government to re-examine HIAL’s request and submit its recommendations to the Ministry of Civil Aviation.
Concession Agreement (CA) dated December 20, 2004 was executed between Ministry of Civil Aviation, Government of India and HIAL for development, construction, operation and maintenance of Hyderabad International Airport.
HIAL has requested for extension of its concession period for another 30 years beyond the initial 30 years, i.e beyond March 23, 2038 and till 23.03.2068.
HIAL is a joint venture company promoted by the GMR Group (63%) in partnership with Airports Authority of India (13%), Government of Telangana (13%) and Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad (MAHB) (11%).
During the meeting with the chief minister on Saturday, the union minister said adequate measures would be taken for the formation of six new airports as requested by the state government.
The chief minister requested that since Telangana is growing as an economic growth centre and Hyderabad is fast becoming the international city, more facilities should be developed to operate flights from the International Airport in Hyderabad to other countries.
He brought to the notice of the union minister that since Hyderabad is fast becoming a business, IT, health, tourism and business hub and the Telangana state is expanding, people are visiting from other places in the country and from several international cities, direct flight connectivity should be increased for countries in South East Asia, Europe and the United States from Hyderabad.
The CM also requested Scindia to take immediate measures, extend support for setting up and development of six airports and make them operational. He also urged him to ensure Metro rail connectivity to the Hyderabad International Airport.
Responding to this, Scindia said all the support would be extended for the Hyderabad International Airport, as Hyderabad is developing as an international city.
He said immediate measures would be taken for ATR operations soon at Mamunnoor in Warangal, which is part of the proposals for six airports. He said technical clearance would be given for the proposed Airport at Jakranpally in Nizamabad district.
Scindia also said that his ministry would examine and monitor to set up an airport at Adilabad with support from the Air Force. He assured the CM that for the landing and take-off of small aircraft at Peddapalli (Basanth Nagar), Kothagudem, Devarakadra (Mahabubnagar), the matter would be re-examined and necessary action would be taken.
State ministers K.T. Rama Rao, Mahmood Ali, V. Prashanth Reddy, Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar, senior officials of the state government, Union Civil Aviation secretary Pradeep Karola and GMR Group Chairman Grandhi Mallikarjuna Rao were also present during the meeting.