KCR wants expansion of Hyderabad Airport

Hyderabad : Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao wanted Hyderabad Airport to be developed with international standards and it should have a wonderful Airport City with all the facilities. He wanted terminal to be extended and a second runway to be constructed following increase in the rush of the passengers and wanted Hyderabad Metro Rail to be extended till the Airport.

The Chief Minister suggested that since Hyderabad is becoming a venue for several international conferences, meetings, a convention centre to accommodate 12,000 people and exhibition centres should be constructed. He said for this, the State Government will extend all the support and assured that he himself will be present at the groundbreaking ceremony of the Airport City.

The Chief Minister held a review meeting on Hyderabad International Airport extension, construction of the Airport city, at Pragati Bhavan here on Tuesday. Government’s Chief Advisor Rajiv Sharma, Chief Secretary SP Singh, Principal Secretaries S Narsing Rao, Ramakrishna Rao, Navin Mittal, HMDA Commissioner Chiranjeevulu, GMR Group Chairman Grandhi Mallikarjuna Rao, Airport Business Chairman Srinivas Bommidala, Business Chairman BVN Rao, Airport CEO SGK Kishore, Director Prasanna and others participated.

The GMR representatives have informed the Chief Minister that the Airport, which started in 2008, has become number one in the world and it had topped the list on IT services and others areas. As on date, the Airport is getting 400 flights a day and every year 1 crore 70-lakh passengers are using the airport. They said the growth rate before formation of the Telangana State was 7 percent and it reached 20.4 percent after the formation of the State and is expected to increase in the near future, the GMR representatives said. The existing runway and terminal will serve 2.5 crore passengers. However, keeping in view the growth rate, there is a need to have another terminal and construction of a second runway, they said. They assured that the second runway will be built in next three years and they wanted government’s cooperation in this regard, which the Chief Minister had agreed to.

“Hyderabad is a fast growing city. Due to favorable weather and proper maintenance of the law and order situation, several international conferences are being held here. This is resulting in rush at the airport. Keeping in view the passenger traffic and increase in demand for the next 25 years, prepare the second runway and extend the terminal. The infrastructure should be such that even if there are 5 crore passengers there should not be any problem. Built Airport city in sprawling 600 acres with a convention hall to house 12,000 people, huge exhibition area, star hotels, malls, hospitals, gardens, ample parking etc., The Airport city should enhance the brand image of Hyderabad city. Very soon I will come and lay the foundation stone for the Airport city. I will also participate in the decennial celebrations of the Airport,” the Chief Minister assured.

The Chief Minister has instructed the officials concerned,” On behalf of the government we have to do certain works for the Airport terminal extension, construction new runway, building the Airport City. The government should take up widening the roads leading to the airport, providing sanitation, power supply, drainage and other related works. Hyderabad Metro Rail should be extended upto the Airport. If metro rail facility is upto the Airport like in New Delhi, people prefer travelling to Airport to and fro by the Metro rail,” the Chief Minister said. The Chief Minister instructed the officials to convene a meeting of the officials from the GMR, Hyderabad Metro Rail and L&T.

GMR gives Rs 12.28 crore dividend

GMR Group Chairman Grandhi Mallikarjuna Rao has given Rs 12.28 Crore cheque to the Chief Minister towards the State Government’s share of dividend (13%) from the earnings from the airport.