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`Improved air connectivity will bring in more investments'

AN AERIAL VIEW of a Dornier aircraft landing on the new 10,000-ft runway of Visakhapatnam airport. The runway, built as part of the Rs 190-crore expansion project, was inaugurated on Friday by the Union Minister of State for Mines, Mr T. Subbarami Reddy. - K.R. Deepak

Visakhapatnam June 15 The new 10,000-ft runway at Visakhapatnam airport, built as a part of the expansion project, was inaugurated on Friday by the Union Minister of State for Mines, Mr T. Subbarami Reddy. The Air Deccan flight from here to Hyderabad was flagged off by the Minister to mark the inauguration.

Later, at a function organised by the Air Travellers' Association of India, the Minister said it was a historic event that would trigger the faster growth of the city, as improved air connectivity would attract greater investments in different sectors.

The runway has been built at a cost of Rs 190 crore, with the Ministry of Defence contributing Rs 140 crore and the State Government and the Airports Authority of India Rs 25 crore each.

Mr Reddy said that he would make efforts to get the new runway fully operational, with night landing facilities, as soon as possible. Temporary customs and immigration facilities would be set up at the airport to facilitate operation of international flights.

Mr K.R. Suresh Reddy, Speaker of the AP Legislative Assembly, said it was yet "another feather in the cap of Vizag''. Improved air connectivity is the pre-requisite for the growth of the city.

Mr H.S. Suresh, General Manager (Projects), Airports Authority of India, said the new integrated terminal building would be ready by mid-2008 to handle 700 passengers. It is being built by the AAI at a cost of Rs 95 crore.

Mr Shabbir Khambata, Vice-President (Airport Services) of Air Deccan, said his company would operate more flights from Vizag, as its "aim is improved air connectivity for the common man in the smaller cities."

Capt. S.N. Reddy, CEO of the AP Aviation Academy, said the connectivity to Vizag would improve greatly, with the commissioning of the new international airport at Shamshabad in Hyderabad by mid-2008.

"By then, hopefully, the infrastructure here would be ready to handle international flights and many of the flights may be extended to Vizag from Hyderabad," he said.

More Stories on : Infrastructure | Airlines | Andhra Pradesh

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