Warangal: In a significant step towards the expansion of the Warangal (Mamnoor) airport, a joint inspection team has been formed to expedite the survey process. District Collector P Pravinya said the team, consisting of officials from the revenue department, the Airports Authority of India (AAI), and the Survey and Land Records department, will create a geo-coordinate based map for the required 271 acres of land. The team has been tasked with completing the survey within one week.
The primary objective of the survey work is to accurately determine the location of the additional land necessary for the airport expansion. Once the survey is finalized, the district administration will initiate the land acquisition process from the farmers, said the collector. The government has already allocated Rs 100 crore for the airport development. “The state government is fully committed to rejuvenating the Warangal airport and will provide all necessary support to the AAI,” she affirmed. The land required for the airport expansion is located in Nakkalapalli, Gadepalli, and Mamnoor villages in Khila Warangal mandal, which have been identified as suitable areas for airport development.
To compensate the affected farmers, the collector has proposed that the government transfer 373.02 acres of land currently under the jurisdiction of PV Narasimha Rao Veterinary University, adjacent to Mamnoor village, to the respective Tahsildar. In return, the lands owned by the farmers can be acquired and transferred to the AAI, she suggested. The extension of the current runway length from 1.8 km to 3.9 km is crucial to accommodate larger aircraft, including the Boeing 747.
Reviving the Warangal airport will play a pivotal role in the region’s development, especially considering the establishment of the Mega Textile Park near Warangal. The airport will enhance air connectivity for the people of Warangal and the surrounding districts, promoting economic growth, attracting investments, and boosting tourism.
The Warangal airport, originally constructed in the 1930s and utilized by the Indian Air Force during World War II under the Nizam rule, has been a focal point of the state government’s revitalization efforts since 2018. Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao, Minister KT Rama Rao, and other public representatives have conducted numerous meetings with the union Minister of Civil Aviation in an attempt to revive the Mamnoor airport, which ceased operations in 1981.