Puttaparthi airport for sale
2007/11/1 8:10:10 
The airport at Puttaparthi, in Anantapur is up for sale. The private airport belongs to the Sai Baba trust and it has now been pit up for sale. The airport and its adjoining areas put together run into over 2,000 acres of land.
Air Deccan/Kingfisher and many other corporate entities have evinced a keen interest in buying the airport and the surrounding 2,000 acres of land. Intense lobbying has also begun, with some approaching the trust through the offices of some politicians.
Andhra News : Puttaparthi airport for sale
Rajnikanth at Puttaparthi
2008/4/12 10:04:37 
Superstar Rajnikanth arrived at Puttaparthi this evening. Rajnikanth is now busy meeting the officials of the Sri Sathya Sai Baba Trust. Rajnikanth learnt about the welfare activities being undertaken by the trust.
It is understood that Rajnikanth is planning to make a huge donation to the trust. Rajnikanth will stay at Puttaparthi overnight. He will have darshan of Sai Baba tomorrow morning.
Andhra News : Rajnikanth at Puttaparthi
Manmohan, Sonia in Puttaparthi
2011/4/26 8:56:25
Prime minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and congress party chief Sonia Gandhi visited Puttaparthi and paid their last respects to Sathya Sai Baba. Andhra News : Manmohan, Sonia in Puttaparthi
Same story at Vizag Airport
2007/10/6 5:53:25 
It was the same story at the Visakhapatnam Airport once again. The airport was closed for long periods last year after rain water flooded the airport. The government spent lot of money for re-carpeting the runway and modernization of the airport. But the situation is back to square one.
The heavy rains that lashed Vizag during the last two days have brought the city to a standstill. Over 27 mm of rain was reported on a single day. The rainwater has flooded the airport and all flights to and from Viskahapatnam have been cancelled indefinitely. The situation at the airport can be gauged from the fact that many boys are seen fishing in the waters near the airport.
Andhra News : Same story at Vizag Airport
Gali’s Aviation University and airport at Kadapa
2007/11/30 4:14:53 The town of Kadapa happens to be the hometown of chief minister Y S Rajashekar Reddy. The town already boasts of an airport. The government has now gone ahead and accorded permission for the setting up of another airport. And the beneficiary is none other than Gali Janardhan Reddy of the controversial Obulapuram mining corporation.
The government has already given him about 17,000 acres for mining. Not the government is about to hand him another 3,500 acres in the name of the airport. The airport will be a modern one with facilities like night landing. The airport will come up near Muddunur near Kadapa. The OBC has also expressed its interest to set up an aviation university at the place in addition to the airport.
Andhra News : Gali’s Aviation University and airport at Kadapa
Second airport at Kadapa
2007/11/26 0:54:27 Kadapa already boasts of an airport. But the state government plans to build another airport in Kadapa. The land for the new airport is being acquired by the government at a breakneck speed.
The government plans to acquire bout 3,200 acres of land in Ambavaram near Jammalamadugu in Kadapa. Reports say that the contract for the construction of the airport is being awarded to G Janardhan Reddy of Brahmani steels.
Andhra News : Second airport at Kadapa
Shamshabad is World’s Number 1 Airport!
2011/2/16 8:33:56
The Rajiv Gandhi International Airport at Shamshabad in Hyderabad has been voted as the number one airport in the world. This was announced by the Airforce International Council.
This is the second time in a row that Shamshabad airport has been rated as number one in the world. The New Delhi airport stands at the fourth place. Andhra News : Shamshabad is World’s Number 1 Airport!
Official announcement on Baba anytime now
2011/4/21 1:05:39 
The condition of Baba is now almost beyond treatment. While some say that he is now clinically dead, the doctors are said to be making one last-ditch effort to try and save him.
The state government is monitoring the situation closely. The CM has met the DGP and discussed arrangement for security in Puttaparthi.
The officials are making arrangements at the airport as many VVIPs and VIPs are expected to come there. Andhra News : Official announcement on Baba anytime now
What are Geeta and Raghuveera doing in Puttaparthi?
2011/4/6 8:21:36
It has been over a week since ministers Geeta Reddy and Raghuveera Reddy have been camping in Puttaparthi.
The two ministers rushed to Puttaparthi the moment they heard that Sathya Sai Baba was critically ill and admitted to ICCU.
The reason is simple. At stake are billions of rupees at the Sathya Sai trust. There is some trouble brewing among the trust members on this count. CM Kiran Kumar Reddy deputed his trusted lieutenant Raghuveera to monitor this closely.
Geeta Reddy is a staunch devotee of Baba. However, she is reportedly there on behalf of the centre or the party high command. The high command does not trust Kiran Kumar Reddy fully and hence it sent Geeta Reddy.
This is the talk that is now doing the rounds in Puttaparthi. Andhra News : What are Geeta and Raghuveera doing in Puttaparthi?
New International Inauguration on March 2
2007/8/17 10:24:25
The New International Airport at Shamshabad is fast nearing completion. Almost 90 per cent of the works have been completed and the airport is likely to be inaugurated on March 2, 2008. The trial run will commence from November and the first flight wil land in November. With the inauguration of the new airport on March 2, the existing airport at Begumpet will cease to function
Andhra News : New International Inauguration on March 2
Trial Run for International Airport
2008/2/9 4:40:56 
The new International airport at Shamshabad is almost ready. The trial runs for the airport will begin from February 12. The first flight to get the honours of landing at the airport will go to Kingfisher Airlines.
Sonia Gandhi will formally inaugurate the airport on March 14. The first commercial flight will take off from the new airport after midnight on March 15. The operations at the Begumpet airport will come to a standstill on the midnight of March 15.
The coactivity to the international airport is still a big problem. The proposed Light rail system will not be in place before 2010. The airport authorities have entered into an understanding with a private tour operator to run air-conditioned coaches from all corners of the city to the airport. These buses will be fully air-conditioned and the charge from any point in the city to the airport has been fixed at a flat rate of 99 rupees.
A couple of tour operators have also been given permission by the government to operate full air-conditioned cabs with GPRS system to pick up and drop passenger at the new airport. Initially, around 500 cabs will come into operation by the first week of March. The figure will go up gradually to 1,000 cabs in a few months.
Andhra News : Trial Run for International Airport
Hair raising amount for TTD
2007/6/1 3:58:00 
The Tirumala Tirupathi Devasthanam will hit the jackpot soon. The money will come through the sale of hair. The hair is collected from the pilgrims who offer it to the deity as part of their vow. The TTD sells the hair through auction. The sale of hair used to fetch th TTD a modest 2 to 3 crore in early 2000.
The figure has now shots up phenomenally. According to the latest estimate the TTD is all set to make Rs.45 crores from the sale of hair. The sale is likely to take place in June and the bids have already been invited. Even some foreign firms have evinced keen interest in the purchase of hair.Andhra News : Hair raising amount for TTD
New airport crosses one lakh mark
2008/3/28 18:22:46 The newly built Rajiv Gandhi International Airport at Shamshabad has commenced commercial operations from last Sunday. The airport is one of the biggest Greenfield airports in Asia and has been built in public-private participation by GMR.
The airport has so far handled one lakh passenger in the first six days of its operations. About 20 per cent of this are international passengers while the remaining 80 percent account for domestic passengers.
Andhra News : New airport crosses one lakh mark
Special flight from Begumpet to Shamshabad
2008/2/11 10:46:22 The new international airport at Shamshabad is almost ready. The airport officials are beginning a trail run from February 12. A special flight belonging to the Kingfisher Airlines will take off from the Begumpet airport and will land at the international airport at Shamshabad.
Chief minister YS Rajashekar Reddy, ministers, MPs, MLAs, other VIPs and media personnel will fly in the special flight. The flight will carry 120 people and will take off from Begumpet at 8.00 a.m.
The new airport will be formally inaugurated by Sonia Gandhi on March 14. Regular operations will commence from the midnight of March 15.
Andhra News : Special flight from Begumpet to Shamshabad
Begumpet airport to stay?
2007/11/22 1:28:46 The state government as well as many people in the twin cities are of the opinion that the Begumpet airport should stay and continue operate domestic flights even after the new international airport at Shamshabad is inaugurated.
Many cities across the world have two airports. Even in India, cities like Mumbai have two airports. But the GMR group is silent on the issue. The group has put a clause in the contract that no airport will be allowed to come up within a radius of 150 kms of the new international airport at Shamshabad. It now remains to be seen if the government can find a way out in the issue.
Andhra News : Begumpet airport to stay?
Immigration made easier at new airport
2007/8/2 0:43:18 
Good news for all international travelers. The new international airport is coming up very fast at Shamshabad,. The modern airport will be one of the biggest in the country and ill have many facilities to make travel easy for the passengers.
The airport authorities are setting up 45 immigration desks for the convenience of passengers. The desks can handle about 20,000 passengers every day. The first flight from the new airport is slated to take off in 2008. Andhra News : Immigration made easier at new airport
Begumpet airport could be revived
2008/4/11 4:17:49 
The Begumpet airport could still be revived. The chances of the revival of the airport turned bright after chief minster YS Rajashekar Reddy wrote a letter to the union civil aviation minister Praful Patel. A PIL filed in the high court also focused the attention on the Begumpet airport.
A division bench of the High court had directed the airport authorities and the state government not to alienate the airport land in any way. The GM group has been seeking about 100 acres of Begumpet airport land for various commercial activities. The state government is also reportedly ready to compensate GMR suitably if the intra-state flights are operated from Begumpet.
Andhra News : Begumpet airport could be revived
Attempts to link Jagan to Sai Trust uncalled for: Gattu
2011/6/24 9:07:58 The YSR Congress Party on Friday raised serious objections at the attempt by the TDP to link Kadapa MP YS Jaganmohan Reddy to the affairs of Satya Sai Central Trust.
YSR Congress Party spokesperson Gattu Ramachandra Rao told media persons at Sagar Society that the TDP’s attempts to link Mr Jaganmohan Reddy with the activities of the Satya Sai Trust were based on flimsy grounds and there was no hidden agenda behind the Kadapa MP’s visit to Puttaparthi.
“Mr Jaganmohan Reddy visited Puttaparthi as he is in Anantapur for his Odarpu Yatra. He visited Puttaparthi since he is there and no importance must be attached to the visit,” Mr Ramachandra Rao said.
The YSR Congress leader added that Telugu Desam Party president N Chandrababu Naidu was well aware of the affairs of the Trust as he had visited Prashanthi Nilayam, the Ashram in Puttaparthi frequently during his tenure as chief minister.
Mr Ramachandra Rao further said that targeting Mr Jaganmohan Reddy on flimsy reasons would not bode well for the TDP.
He also alleged that Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy was changing the guidelines of the pet schemes launched by former chief minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy, to ‘suit his style and derive political mileage for himself.’(INN)Andhra News : Attempts to link Jagan to Sai Trust uncalled for: Gattu
RGIA – Love at first sight
2008/3/25 2:20:11 
The newly opened Rajiv Gandhi International airport at Shamshabad has opened to some mixed repose by passengers. The sprawling Greenfield airport looks majestic amidst vast expenses of greenery. The airport is a visual treat with open structure with glass frontage.
The airport has three levels. The ground floor has been reserved for car parking. The first floor is for arrivals and the second level is for departures. The airport offers a majestic view of the runway and also the parked aircraft in the parking bay. Children in particular are enjoying the majestic view, the escalators and the colourful aircraft belonging to different airlines parked in the parking bays.
The only glitch is that the airport is a bit too far from any point in the city. The inner ring road and the outer ring road will take at least another one year to complete. The PV Narasimha Rao expressway from Masab Tank to the airport is also likely to take anywhere between 6 to 9 months to be completed. Till then the passengers will have to bear the traffic snarls and bottlenecks at various points to the airport.
Andhra News : RGIA – Love at first sight
Shamshabad world’s number one in user charges!
2008/3/13 5:06:51 
The Shamshabad airport or the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport is all set to commence commercial operations from the wee hours of March 16. The congress chief Sonia Gandhi will formally inaugurate the airport on March 14. The GNR group which has built the airport and manages the airport has proposed to levy user charges at the rate of Rs 700 per passenger. But following widespread protests, the group has decided to keep it in abeyance for some time.
But the airport will collect user charges from international passengers. The charges will be at the rate of $25 per passenger. This is the highest at any airport being collected at any airport in the world. The charges at Dubai are Rs. 330, while at Singapore it is Rs. 612. Even at Heathrow, the charges are less than 1,000. But from April 1 they will go up slightly and the new charges will be Rs. 1044. That is about 44 rupees more than Shamshabad. But till April 1, Shamshabad will hold the distinction of the number one spot for collecting the highest sum as user charges from passengers.
Andhra News : Shamshabad world’s number one in user charges!
