Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy directed the officials to work on ‘one district - one airport’ concept in order to boost infrastructure in the districts. Development of airports in each of the 13 districts would give a fillip to all-round growth, he said and wanted the construction of Bhogapuram and Dagadarthi airports in Vizianagaram and Nellore districts respectively to be expedited.
At a review meeting on sea and airports, at his camp office near here on Thursday, Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy said the runways should be capable of handling wide-body aircraft like Boeing.He told the officials to lay special emphasis on the development and expansion works at the six existing airports and two new ones.
Due priority should be accorded to the expansion of the Gannavaram airport keeping in view the burgeoning traffic, he said.
Officials told the Chief Minister that works were going on at a brisk pace at Tirupati, Kadapa, Rajahmundry, Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada and Kurnool airports.
HARBOURS
Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy instructed the officials to take up the construction of nine fishing harbours and three ports on a priority basis. The officials said that the Bhavanapadu and Ramayapatnam port works would begin soon.
Works undertaken in the first phase at four fishing harbours would be completed by October.
Of the nine fishing harbours, Uppada (East Godavari), Nizampatnam (Guntur), Machilipatnam (Krishna), and Juvvalapalem (Nellore) were poised to be completed in the first phase.
The construction of five harbours would be taken up in the second phase, for which tenders have been invited and the same were likely to be finalised soon.
Industries Minister Mekapati Goutham Reddy, Chief Secretary Sameer Sharma, Special Chief Secretary (Industries) R. Karikal Valaven, Comprehensive Financial Management System CEO P. Ravi Subhash, AP Maritime Board CEO K. Muralidharan, AP Airports Development Corporation advisor V.N. Bharath Reddy and other officials were present.
