Decks cleared for Vijayawada airport expansion.

THE major hurdle in the expansion of the runway of Vijayawada Airport, to handle large aircraft like Airbus A 320, with the acquisition of 698 acres has been overcome. District administration will be handing over the land to the airport authorities by July 31.

Disclosing this to the media here, on Monday, during an interaction programme organised by Andhra Pradesh Chambers of Commerce and Industries Federation (APCCIF), Vijayawada Airport director G Madhusudhan Rao said that in a meeting with G Sai Prasad, principal secretary (investments and infrastructure) Ajay Jain and Krishna district joint collector Gandham Chandrudu last week, it was informed that the required land for the runway expansion will be handed over and the same was recorded in the minutes of the meeting.

There has been a delay in land acquisition, as the farmers were not eager to hand over their farm lands for the runway expansion. Once the land is handed over, the airport authorities want to construct an 11 km long compound wall. “We have obtained approvals for phase I of runway expansion, which will be 739 meters long taking the total length of runway to 3,025 meters from the present 2,286. The additional runway will be commissioned in one year time once the works commence,” he said.

The cost of the first phase of expansion is estimated to be Rs. 145 crore and after completion of the runway expansion, large aircraft like Airbus A320 can land without any hitch.

THE NEW INDIAN EXPRESS