Adilabad Airport project moves into mission mode for north Telangana connectivity
Hyderabad: The Adilabad Airport project moved closer to implementation after the Centre decided to appoint nodal officers within a week and pursue the proposal in “mission mode”, Union Minister G. Kishan Reddy said.
Reddy said the proposed airport would improve regional connectivity and strengthen civil aviation infrastructure across North Telangana. He said the decision followed a review meeting with Union Civil Aviation Minister K. Rammohan Naidu. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh was also present at the meeting.
Under the decision, the Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Civil Aviation and Telangana government would each appoint nodal officers. The officials would coordinate efforts to advance the project. Moreover, authorities would expedite the Detailed Project Report and Master Plan for the proposed Joint-User Airfield.
Adilabad Airport project addresses long-standing demand
Reddy said the Adilabad Airport project marked a crucial step towards meeting a long-standing aspiration of people in the erstwhile Adilabad district and North Telangana.
He recalled that he had earlier raised the need for an airport and an Air Force station in Adilabad with Rajnath Singh. During those discussions, Reddy had highlighted the strategic importance of the region. He had also stressed the need for better connectivity.
Subsequently, the Defence Ministry agreed to develop a Joint-User Airfield at Adilabad and assured full cooperation for the proposal. Several meetings were then held among officials of the Defence Ministry, Civil Aviation Ministry and Telangana government.
As part of the planning process, Defence and Civil Aviation officials inspected the proposed airport site on April 17, 2026. Following the inspection, officials concluded that the facility would require a 2.75-kilometre runway.
The land requirement would also extend substantially beyond the area already available with the Indian Air Force. The Telangana government was asked to acquire another 1,500 acres for the project. The additional land would supplement the 369.45 acres already held by the Indian Air Force.
Adilabad Airport project plans aviation facilities
The proposed Adilabad Airport project would include infrastructure required for aviation operations, training and aircraft maintenance.
Planned facilities included infrastructure for trainer aircraft and parking space for visiting aircraft. The proposal also covered weather shelters, aircraft hangars and an operational complex. In addition, the airfield would have training facilities and maintenance infrastructure.
Reddy said the airport would provide major benefits to Telangana residents, particularly people living in the northern districts. He said improved aviation infrastructure would strengthen connectivity for the region.
The Union minister also expressed satisfaction over the progress made on the proposal. He said years of meetings, correspondence and coordination among the authorities had brought the airport plan to a decisive stage.
The latest review established a coordination mechanism involving the Centre and the Telangana government. Meanwhile, preparation of the DPR and Master Plan would be accelerated as authorities took forward the proposed Joint-User Airfield.