Centre to fast-track Adilabad joint user airfield, nodal officers named

The Centre has decided to fast-track the development of a Joint User Airfield (JUA) in Adilabad, a move aimed at strengthening regional air connectivity in north Telangana.

Union Coal Minister G. Kishan Reddy said a review meeting on the project's progress was held in New Delhi on Saturday with Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Civil Aviation Minister K. Rammohan Naidu.

To ensure coordinated, mission-mode implementation, the three ministries and the Telangana government will each appoint a nodal officer by next week, Mr. Reddy said in a statement.

The meeting also decided to speed up preparation of the Detailed Project Report and the master plan for the proposed airfield.

Mr. Singh assured the meeting that the Defence Ministry was prepared to extend full cooperation for developing the JUA in Adilabad. Mr. Reddy said he had underlined the strategic importance of Adilabad, the need for an Air Force station and the value of improving regional connectivity in the area.

Officials from the Defence and Civil Aviation Ministries inspected the proposed airport site on April 17, 2026, as part of earlier discussions between the Centre and the Telangana government. The inspection identified the need for a 2.75-km runway.

The State government has also decided to acquire an additional 1,500 acres of land, over and above the 369.45 acres already available with the Indian Air Force. The proposed facilities include trainer aircraft infrastructure, parking for visiting aircraft, weather shelters, aircraft hangars, an operational complex, training facilities and maintenance infrastructure.