: Donakonda, a sleepy village in Prakasam district, is all set to witness a flurry of industrial activity in the coming months with two Ukranian companies zeroing in on the once British-time air strip for setting up aircraft manufacturing and service units.
Representatives of the Antonov State Company which has expertise in the manufacture of very large aeroplanes and aeroplanes using unprepared runways and also Motor Sich, one of the leading manufacturers of engines for aircraft and helicopters and industrial gas turbine installations, had detailed discussion on their business plans in collaboration with the Titan Aviation & Aerospace India Ltd, a subsidiary of Titan Group of companies, with State Infrastructure Mission Co-chairman and State Transport Minister Sidda Raghava Rao here on Wednesday.
“With an initial investment of Rs. 3,000 crore by these companies, Donakonda is all set attract investments to the tune of Rs. 50,000 crore in phases as aircraft from 70 countries land here for overhauling,” the Minister said after making a presentation on the land bank and other infrastructure facilities available at Donakonda.
Importing aircraft and helicopter parts from Ukraine in a semi-knocked down condition, 200 to 300 aircraft and helicopters would be manufactured here, explained the companies’ executives to the Minister. As many as 1,700 helicopters now in operation in different countries would be brought for overhauling to Donakonda, where facilities would be created to train 2,000 pilots, they said, adding that local people would get preference for training as aircraft and helicopter maintenance staff.
The delegation had talks with Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu in Vijayawada late on Tuesday and sought allotment of about 6,000 acres.
“We will start the process of setting up the units within three weeks of allotment of land,” they said, adding that a tie-up with Changi Airport group for building infrastructure at Donakonda would be signed.
“Work is expected to start in the next two months and all the facilities are expected to b created in the next 1-1/2 years,” said the Minister along with senior TDP leader Karnam Balarama Krishnamurthy.
MoU with Chinese firms
The delegation included Antonov CTO Alexander Chexherchil, Antonov Director Sunstovlegor, Motor Sich Director Alexander Amirov, Coordinator Oleksi Tokarive and TAAIL Vice-President(Corporate Affairs) S.D.Chandrasekhar.
The State government had also signed Memoranda of Understanding with two Chinese firms for setting up of a Building Materials Industrial Park and a Logistics Park at Donakonda.
An MoU to manufacture defence helicopters, bullet-proof jackets, mobile power plants with capacity ranging from one MW to 100 MW were also in the pipeline, TAAIL officials said.
