Vizag airport expansion work to be completed by Oct 2006

The expansion work of Visakhapatnam Airport, which is under the control of the Indian Navy, would be completed by October 2006.

Out of the total project outlay of Rs 192 crore, the Indian Navy is contributing R 142 crore while the state government and the Airports Authority of India are contributing Rs 25 crore each.

Addressing mediapersons on the eve of Navy Day on Friday, O P Bansal, chief of naval staff, Eastern Naval Command, said: "The completion of the expansion works will enable international flights to land in Vizag also. As part of the expansion, the airport runway length will be extended to 10,000 metres and a new terminal building will be constructed. After the expansion, flights can be landed even in the nighttime too."

Bansal said that the Indian Navy has decided to donate one de-commissioned warship to the Visakhapatnam Urban Development Authority (Vuda).

"The government will be spending close to Rs 2 crore to bring the ship to the shore and create other facilities. The Indian Navy had also donated one submarine to Vuda some three years back, which was later converted into a submarine museum. The submarine has become one of the major tourism attractions in Visakhapatnam. We hope the warship too will become a crowd-puller," he said.

To promote indigenisation in warship building, the Indian Navy has placed orders for 17 warships at different Indian shipyards.

"Of the 17 warships, 14 ships will be inducted into the Indian Navy's fleet by the end of next year. We are also giving some warship and submarine repair works to the Visakhapatnam Shipyard. Apart from this, we have been encouraging local small and medium-scale units for the supply of different spare parts for warship repairs," Bansal said.

Eastern Naval Command has given its nod for setting up the Gangavaram Port, which is coming up near the Naval Command, he replied to a query.