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Hyderabad: Telangana’s big-bang airport expansion plan is getting underway as the state government has moved its attention from Basantnagar in Peddapalli district to a new site in Antargam mandal, reported ABN.
Officials attributed inappropriate weather conditions and other technical limitations at the previous site as the reasons behind the shift. The new location, spanning around 591 acres, has been found to be suitable for airport development, and a detailed report, comprising ten-year weather statistics and revenue maps, has already been tabled before the central government.
The officials state that the land and climatic conditions of the region are favorable for aviation infrastructure. There is also scope for procuring more land in the surrounding interior regions if needed.
A group of central officials has visited the proposed location, and the state has officially asked the Centre to carry out a free feasibility study to assess the suitability for an airport.
Surprisingly, Basantnagar used to have an operational airstrip covering more than 260 acres, where there were active aircraft services almost half a century back. Although idle for decades, the airstrip still exists and the state government is contemplating whether to revive it, along with another abandoned airstrip at Mamunur in Warangal district.
Since the establishment of the Congress government in Telangana, there has been increased focus on enhancing regional connectivity by air. Besides the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in Hyderabad, the government has planned airports in the following districts:
Letters have been written to the Union ministry of civil aviation for approval and support for the development of airports in all these places. Restoration and operationalization of the existing airstrips at Basantnagar and Mamunur are also on the cards as part of the state’s overall aviation policy.
These developments will enhance intra-state and inter-state connectivity, facilitate economic growth, and ease pressure on Hyderabad’s single international airport
This post was last modified on May 3, 2025 10:39 am