AP gets 2 emergency flight landing facilities on NH

Vijayawada: Andhra Pradesh was given two emergency flight landing facilities on the Chennai-Kolkata national highway, said Union minister for road transport and highways Nitin Gadkari. The minister gave a written reply to YSRCP MP Magunta Srinivasula Reddy in Lok Sabha on Thursday.
The minister said that the two emergency landing facilities (ELFs) were coming up between Chilakaluripet and Nellore on the national highway.The facility would be used for emergencies, including disaster, the minister said. One ELF is coming up between Chilakaluripet and Ongole, while the second is coming up between Ongole and Nellore, the minister said.
The minister also said that the contract was awarded to KMC Construction Ltd on December 26, 2019. The works were almost completed as per the contract by December 20, 2021, the minister told the YSRCP member.
However, the minister said that the connecting road, drains, return wall and protection for minor bridge and box culvert were not completed due to some problems in land acquisition. Miscellaneous works like road marking have not been completed due to correction of minor bends and curves as per the requirement of the Indian Air Force, the minister said.
The minister admitted that the delay in completing the works and keeping the emergency landing facilities was due to the Covid-19, unprecedented rains and floods. He expressed confidence that the works would be completed at the earliest.
In reply to another question by YSRCP MP P V Midhun Reddy, minister of state for civil aviation Dr V K Singh told Lok Sabha that the Indian domestic aviation has been deregulated. This would facilitate the airlines to induct capacity with any aircraft type and free to select whatever markets and networks they wish to serve, the minister said.
On the question of whether the government has provided any incentives to private airline operators, the minister said that the government has necessary policy framework to incentivise the aviation sector as per the National Civil Aviation Policy 2016.