The long-awaited dream of the people of Warangal is finally coming true. The Government of India has approved the development of Mamnoor Airport, making it Telangana’s second airport after Hyderabad International Airport (HIAL) in Shamshabad.
In a key development, Civil Aviation Secretary Amit Kumar Jha informed the Airports Authority of India (AAI) about the plans to operationalize Warangal Airport. A letter confirmed that HIAL has issued a ‘No Objection Certificate’ (NOC), and 253 acres of land will be handed over to AAI for the airport’s development.
Warangal Airport was originally built during World War II but has remained non-operational. According to Clause 5.2 of the Concession Agreement for Hyderabad’s Greenfield Airport, no new domestic or international airport could be developed within 150 kilometers of Hyderabad Airport until its 25th anniversary.
However, on January 15, the Telangana government submitted an NOC from HIAL, dated January 6, requesting an exemption from this exclusivity clause. The HIAL Board of Directors granted a one-time waiver specifically for the Mamnoor Airport project, ensuring that all agreements were followed.
Telangana’s Roads and Buildings Minister, Komatireddy Venkata Reddy, welcomed the Centre’s approval, which will speed up the development of Mamnoor Airport. He credited Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy’s efforts in negotiating with the Central government for securing approvals quickly. The minister also played a key role in coordinating with GMR to obtain the necessary NOC.
With the Centre’s approval, the construction of the airport is set to move forward rapidly. The Telangana government had previously allocated Rs 205 crore for acquiring 253 acres of land, which was transferred to AAI to support the airport’s development. Minister Venkata Reddy expressed his gratitude to the Chief Minister and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to improving Telangana’s aviation infrastructure, bringing Warangal’s long-awaited airport closer to reality.
