Andhra Pradesh's Ambitious Water Aerodrome Plan Takes Flight

The Andhra Pradesh government has received approval to prepare Terms of Reference for constructing seven water aerodromes, including one in Visakhapatnam. This marks the first step towards environmental clearance. The project involves several locations and requires various regulatory approvals and consultations with relevant ministries.

The Andhra Pradesh government has received a green signal from the Expert Appraisal Committee under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change to prepare Terms of Reference for the construction of seven water aerodromes, including one in Visakhapatnam. This approval is a preliminary step towards obtaining environmental clearance for the ambitious infrastructure project.

The Andhra Pradesh Airports Development Corporation Ltd spearheads this initiative, having approached the Ministry for approval to draft ToR for these projects. Proposals have been submitted for aerodromes at Jalaput Lake, Sileru - Lambasing in Alluri Sitharama Raju District, Srisailam in Nandyal district, and other prominent locations such as Kakinada, Prakasam Barrage at Vijayawada, and Gandikota in YSR Kadapa district.

The committee noted that certain consultations had been overlooked. The Project Proponent has yet to engage with the Ministry of Civil Aviation and must secure a No Objection Certificate from the Ministry of Defence to avoid interference with defense operations.

(With inputs from agencies.)