Delhi, 16 December (H.S.): Congress MP Renuka Chowdhury urged the Centre on Tuesday to accelerate clearances for the long-pending Kothagudem greenfield airport in Telangana, stressing its pivotal role in bolstering industrial links, tourism, and border vigilance during Rajya Sabha's Zero Hour.

Chowdhury lamented the project's inertia since its 2016 site clearance recommendation, noting that despite a 2025 pre-feasibility study by the Airports Authority of India on 950 acres near Palwancha—and Telangana's repeated overtures—no tangible progress has materialized, risking escalating costs and regional setbacks.

She spotlighted Kothagudem's economic anchors, including Singareni Collieries, Kothagudem Thermal Power Station, and NMDC, which sustain 23,000 jobs, alongside tourism potential for the unique Bhadrachalam temple and strategic proximity to borders.

The MP cautioned against further delays after prior land inadequacies prompted a second site identification, imploring expeditious scrutiny under the 2008 Greenfield Airports Policy to unlock connectivity without prohibitive overruns.

This appeal arrives amid Union aviation ministry deeming the site preliminarily unviable, underscoring persistent hurdles for Telangana's aviation ambitions.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar