In yet another step forward on the proposal to establish an airport at Kothagudem in Khammam district, the Telangana Government has furnished all the relevant information sought by the Airports Authority of India (AAI) for conducting a pre-feasibility study.
In response to a letter from the Ministry of Civil Aviation in February this year, the Special Secretary, Infrastructure and Investment Department, wrote a letter to the Member, Planning AAI, New Delhi, last week.
It sent the meteorological data obtained from the Met department and maps. The Government said that the GPS system would be provided by the Government at the time of inspection.
Sources in the Chief Minister’s office said on Monday that climatological tables based on data for the period 1971-1998 and wind rose diagrams based on data for the period 1976-1992, monthly mean meteorological data, total rainfall, average wind speed, survey of India map on the scale of 1:50000 and revenue map of the site were sent to the AAI.
The State Government is keen on setting up new airports in Adilabad, Warangal, Kothagudem, Nizamabad and Shamirpet.
The Government has identified land to an extent of 1,600 acres at Punukuduchelka village in Kothagudem mandal, which is 240 km (aerial distance) from Shamshabad airport.
Though the land was designated as reserve forest with hardly any forest cover, the Government contended that forest diversion proposals could be sent to the Ministry of Environment and Forests for approval.
Parliamentary Secretary Jalagam Venkata Rao said, “There is immense potential to develop the Greenfield airport as a number of major industries and temples are located in and around Kothagudem.
Mr. Rao said that Sree Sita Ramachandra Swamy Temple at Bhadrachalam and Parnasala attract a lot of tourists and devotees. Singareni Collieries Company Limited has its headquarters in Kothagudem and over 1,000 officials are eligible to travel by air.
He sees good patronage for air travel as TSGENCO has its generating units at Palvancha and new ones are planned at Kothagudem, Manuguru and Aswapuram. Several executives and top officials from ITC Bhadrachalam, NMDC, Sponge Iron unit at Palavancha are located in the region.
A senior police officer working in Bhadrachalam division maintained that an airport at Kothagudem would help the security agencies and aid emergency relief for parts of Chhattisgarh. During floods, the airport can handle relief operations, the officer said.
