Vijayawada: Chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu has asked the Union civil aviation ministry to explore the possibility of establishing a civil aviation university in Visakhapatnam. In a review meeting with Union civil aviation minister K Ram Mohan Naidu, and senior officials from the depts concerned on Wednesday, Naidu assessed the construction progress of Vijayawada international airport terminal.He directed airport authorities to ensure that the terminal’s architectural design is visually striking and unique, and various components like terminal elevation, departure and arrival blocks, and passenger lounges reflect Andhra Pradesh’s rich cultural heritage. He called for elements such as Kuchipudi dance, Kondapalli toys, Amaravati emblems, and Lepakshi art to be incorporated into the designs.The CM also reviewed the progress of terminal works at Kadapa and Rajamahendravaram airports. The Union minister informed him that technical feasibility studies are underway for new airports at Dagadarthi, Kuppam, and Palasa. Regarding the proposed Amaravati airport, Ram Mohan Naidu said land surveys are in progress and a RITES team will soon submit a report. Once land pooling is completed, the project could commence within two years, he said.He further stated that operations at Vijayawada and Visakhapatnam airports have grown by nearly 40%, and there is increased interest from operators to expand connectivity from Vijayawada, Tirupati, Rajamahendravaram, and Kurnool airports. He said TruJet is set to launch services from Visakhapatnam to various locations in Oct, and international flights between Vijayawada and Singapore and Tirupati and Muscat will commence soon. Seaplane operations are expected to begin after Sep, he said, adding that Qatar Aviation Fund has expressed interest to invest in Bhogapuram airport project.
