Wings India takes off: Government plans to reactivate old airports and establish new heliports says KTR

Hyderabad: The industrial profile of Telangana is set to get a big fillip with the setting up of world class University of Aerospace and opening of new airports, including greenfield airports.

Measures are also afoot to re-activate old airports and establish a chain of heliports to connect the remote parts of the state, according to Industries and IT Minister KT Rama Rao.

Speaking at the inauguration of 'Wings India 2020' conducted jointly by FICCI, Airports Authority of India (AAI) and State Government, Rama Rao said the Government is planning greenfield airports at Bhadradri – Kothagudem, Jakaranpally, Gudibanda in Mahbubnagar and brownfield airports at Mamnoor village in Warangal Urban district and Basanthnagar in Peddapally.

The Government has appointed AAI as consultant for preparing a techno feasibility report for existing airstrips (brownfield) and feasibility studies for the greenfield airports.

It is also actively working with various stakeholders to make the abandoned Warangal airport functional.

The revival of the airport, the government feels, will help boost regional air transport and support the Mega Textile Park and the information technology hub.

The state government would pursue with the Centre to include its proposal to include Warangal airport under RCS Udan scheme, he said.

Referring to the Hyderabad aerospace ecosystem, KTR said the biggest strength is the availability of highly skilled and industry ready workforce. KTR claimed that Telangana made massive growth in aerospace sector in the last five years.

Hyderabad has emerged as the most-preferred aerospace manufacturing destination in India for global companies. Aerospace majors such as Sikorsky, Lockheed Martin, Boeing, GE, Safran, Rafael and Elbit have already established their mega manufacturing facilities in Hyderabad.

Amongst leading Indian players, TATA group does more than 90 per cent of their aerospace manufacturing from Hyderabad.

Adani Group and Kalyani Group are also expanding their aerospace and allied projects in Telangana which already have five dedicated aerospace parks, over 50 general engineering parks to catering to precision engineering industry, he explained.

KTR said that the government is expecting that India's largest technology incubator – T-Hub and T-Works, the largest hardware incubator would come to Hyderabad.

This will help in facilitating in more home-grown aerospace hardware startups to come up in the city.