Warangal’s Mamnoor Airport set to take flight by end of this year

Hyderabad: After years of delay, the long-awaited Mamnoor Airport in Warangal is poised to be operational by the end of 2024, according to government sources.

Situated roughly 170 km from Hyderabad’s Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, Mamnoor will be the first of six proposed airports in Telangana to become functional under the Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS-Udan).

Dormant since 1980, Mamnoor Airport will soon support regional air traffic, with 700 acres already secured by the Airports Authority of India (AAI).

To expedite development, the Telangana government is in the process of acquiring an additional 200 acres. “Instructions have been given to rehabilitate 40 to 50 families to a nearby alternate site, and this process is expected to be completed soon,” a government official reported.

In parallel, airports in Adilabad and Nizamabad are also making significant progress in the first phase of this state-wide aviation development. In these locations, 1,000 acres have been identified in addition to existing land, with projects gaining momentum following recent meetings between Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, Minister Komatireddy Venkat Reddy, and officials from the Union Civil Aviation Ministry.

The Ministry has pledged its full support for these new airport initiatives, with Adilabad and Nizamabad expected to break ground shortly.

The project in Bhadrachalam, initially slated for early development, has encountered delays due to challenging terrain in the forested region. “The original site was deemed unfeasible due to the surrounding hills,” officials confirmed.

However, two to three alternative locations have been shortlisted and are awaiting assessment from the state’s aviation and infrastructure departments. Once finalised, the Bhadrachalam project will proceed.

Meanwhile, plans for airports in Devarakadra (Mahbubnagar) and Basanthnagar (Ramagundam) have been postponed indefinitely. Both sites face significant geographic hurdles, including unfavorable terrain and their proximity to Hyderabad’s Rajiv Gandhi International Airport.

The Warangal Airport in Mamnoor, once regarded as India’s largest pre-Independence airport, has been out of operation for over 40 years. Established in 1930, Mamnoor predates Hyderabad’s Begumpet Airport and served as a critical hub for both civilian and military purposes.

During the Indo-China war, it even functioned as a hangar. Today, its primary use is for training National Cadet Corps (NCC) cadets, though its former glory has become a distant memory.

Locals’ express frustration over the airport’s long period of inactivity and the neglect it has suffered. Many residents recall the airport’s illustrious history, when it hosted dignitaries like former Prime Ministers Jawaharlal Nehru and numerous Presidents. Originally built by the seventh Nizam, Mir Osman Ali Khan, to serve the region’s paper and textile industries, Mamnoor was once a vital economic artery for Warangal, with thriving cargo operations and services like Vayudoot Airlines.

Currently, only one of the airport’s two one-kilometer runways is in functional condition, used exclusively by NCC cadets. The second runway, overgrown with grass and poorly maintained, is seldom used except during high-profile visits by government officials.

Meanwhile, as the revival of Mamnoor Airport approaches, land prices in the surrounding areas have skyrocketed.

The property rates have surged from Rs.10,000-Rs.15,000 per square yard to Rs.30,000-Rs.40,000, surpassing those in nearby Bollikunta. Residents are optimistic that the airport’s reopening will bring economic development to the region, akin to the transformation experienced by Shamshabad following the construction of Rajiv Gandhi International Airport.            

“The Mamnoor area has always been integral to Warangal’s identity, and we believe this development will usher in a new era for our community,” said a local resident, reflecting the hopes of many for a prosperous future.