Air connectivity being planned for Thanjavur

The Tamil Nadu government is working to get passenger air connectivity for Thanjavur.

Sources aware of the development said Industries Minister T.R.B. Rajaa recently met Defence Secretary and Secretary of Civil Aviation to discuss this matter, and requested the Centre to expedite the work.

Following the Minister’s visit, the project has been progressing at a fast pace, a source said.

It is also learnt that the Minister visited the site of the proposed airport to inspect the area, along with other officials, along with officials from Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation Ltd and the district administration. The work for a road to connect the proposed terminal and the existing defence airport is now under way.

Currently, the Thanjavur airport is an Air Force station owned and operated by the Indian Air Force (IAF). It has two runways. Around 56.16 acre of land here is with the IAF. At present, there is no passenger terminal building and apron for passenger aircraft operations here.

According to State government sources, Airports Authority of India (AAI) has 26.5 acres of land at Thanjavur airport and proposed to develop the airport as a civil enclave. The AAI and the IAF signed a memorandum of understanding for mutual exchange of the existing AAI land with the IAF land in December 2022. The IAF has handed over the land to the AAI. It is proposed that a new domestic passenger terminal building will be constructed by the AAI to provide passenger air connectivity for enabling flight operations. “The AAI requested the State government to help construct four-lane approach road. The Tamil Nadu government is facilitating this request under the supervision of the Industries Minister,” a government official said.

He added that the project, once completed, would boost economic growth and tourism in this region.

Sources say that the AAI would have to spend nearly ₹200 crore in constructing the airport and it could take about a year for it to become operational.