Andhra Pradesh adds another airport to list with inauguration of Orvakallu airport

Andhra Pradesh's seventh airport at Orvakallu near Kurnool city was Tuesday inaugurated by chief minister N Chandrababu Nadu, setting the stage for transforming the region into a more developed area. The airport has been categorized as '3C' and is capable of handling turboprop aircraft like ATR-72 and Bombardier Q-400. Developed on a 1,010-acre site at a cost of Rs 110 crore, the Orvakallu airport has a 2000-metre runway with four aprons for parking of aircraft, according to Principal Secretary (Infrastructure and Investment) Ajay Jain.

The Chief Minister said the aviation sector was a key driver of the states economic growth and has the potential to generate jobs even in the backward regions like Rayalaseema and north coastal Andhra. "Airports could act as growth hubs by providing air connectivity throughout the state and drive the growth of the manufacturing sector, tourism and other commercial activities," Naidu said.

The Orvakallu airport would go a long way in transforming Kurnool and other Rayalaseema districts into more developed areas, he said. While Visakhapatnam, Rajamahendravaram, Vijayawada and Tirupati are major airports in Andhra Pradesh, Kadapa, Puttaparthi (not a commercial airport yet) and Orvakallu in Kurnool district are the smaller ones. Flight services from Orvakallu airport are expected to begin from April.

(With inputs from agencies.)