Hyderabad
The Defence Ministry and the Airports Authority of India (AAI) have appointed nodal officers to coordinate with the Telangana government on the proposed joint-user airport at Adilabad, marking a step forward for a project planned for both civilian and defence purposes.
The Defence Ministry has appointed Air Force Station Begumpet commandant Air Commodore Rahul Shukla and Headquarters Training Command, Bengaluru, CATCO Group Captain Jyoti Prakash Sabharwal as its nodal officers. The AAI has appointed Executive Director Arch Sujoy Dey to coordinate with the Telangana government.
The appointments were communicated separately to Telangana Chief Secretary Sanjay Jaju. Union Minister for Coal and Mines G. Kishan Reddy said the appointments followed his discussions with the Defence and Civil Aviation ministries.
The proposed facility is planned across 1,500 acres and will include an air force training centre and a joint-use airfield for civilian and defence operations. Defence infrastructure is expected to include facilities for trainer aircraft, visiting aircraft parking, dispersals, weather shelters, aircraft hangars, an operational complex, training facilities and maintenance infrastructure.
On the civilian side, the AAI is expected to establish a civil terminal and a Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facility. Supporting infrastructure for defence personnel would include single and married accommodation, sports and recreational facilities and essential amenities.
Engineering utilities such as water supply and sanitation will also have to be developed. Kishan Reddy has urged the Telangana government to appoint its own nodal officer, saying this would help coordinate all stakeholders and further speed up work on the project.
