East Asia Eyes Vizag Airport As Gateway

ET&T Staff - Mumbai

Visakhapatnam airport is expected to emerge as a gateway for eastern countries once the facility is in place by June 2006. The development works at the airport were originally scheduled to be completed in December 2006. The airport is tipped to become a base for airline services operating between countries of this region and Andhra Pradesh in place of Hyderabad airport. Once the airline operators commence services to Visakhapatnam from their respective countries, domestic flights would be operated between Hyderabad and Vizag as connecting flights to these international flights, according to a senior state government official.

This is expected to bring a dramatic improvement in air connectivity to Vizag with other important cities including Hyderabad. Lack of proper air connectivity to the port city has been cited as a major problem in the process of industrial development in the area. At present, Malaysian Airlnes, Silk Air of Singapore along with Indian Airlines are operating international services between Hyderabad and Singapore and other destinations in the southeast region. Malaysian Airlines operates three services, while Silk Air operates four flights a week to Hyderabad.

The new runway with a length of 10,000 feet being constructed at Vizag airport will make the facility almost on par with the Hyderabad airport, acquiring the capacity to accommodate B767 or its equivalents. Even the Boeing 747s can also be operated but with a load penalty, restricting the number of passengers in the flight on the new runway, officials say. In fact, only 9,700 feet of the runway is currently in use at Hyderabad airport, though it has a total provision of 10,500 feet length. "I know that a large runway as big as the one at Hyderabad airport is being built at Vizag airport but I am not aware of the exact plans pertaining to it since the Airports Authority of India's regional office deals with these issues", R K Singla, director of Hyderabad airport, said, on the proposed plans and subsequent impact it would have on Hyderabad airport, which is facing several constraints in handling the growing air traffic.

However, he said international flights being operated between south eastern countries and Andhra Pradesh can still continue to arrive at Hyderabad while landing at Vizag airport in case airlines do not find enough passengers. Besides the Rs 191.52 crore airport upgradation project, which includes a new runway, apron, ground lighting facilities, naval apron among others, AAI on its own proposed the construction of a new and modern glass and steel terminal with a plinth area of 20,000 square feet at a cost of Rs 98 crore. Bids for the same are scheduled to be received during this month. Proposed to be completed a 15 month time, the new terminal building is designed to accommodate 700 domestic and 400 global passengers.

Of the Rs 191 crore-work entrusted to AAI, works valued over Rs 158.21 crore had been awarded and the progress achieved so far is estimated to be 58 per cent of the total project work, officials said. Of the total cost, the Minstry of Defence is providing Rs 141.52 crore while AAI and the Andhra Pradesh government will provide Rs 25 crore each. Although it is meant for civilian operations, Vizag airport will be under the control of the Indian Navy.