Kudair Airport Proposal Gains Momentum After Key Meeting with Centre

Andhra Pradesh Finance Minister Payyavula Keshav and Anantapur MP Ambica Lakshminarayana met Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu in New Delhi to discuss the proposed airport near Kudair in Anantapur district. They requested a fresh technical survey, suggesting that a one-sided landing and take-off model, similar to the one previously used at the old Visakhapatnam Airport, be considered after earlier surveys cited terrain-related limitations.

The state government also urged the Centre to include the proposed airport in the upcoming phase of the UDAN scheme, under which 100 new airports are planned over the next decade. The leaders emphasized that Anantapur is a major horticulture-producing district and that an airport would significantly improve cargo transportation, boost exports of fruits and vegetables, enhance farmers' incomes, and support the development of Rayalaseema as a horticulture hub.