Begumpet Airport on way to oblivion

Hyderabad: With a brand new world-class airport, ready to take off, just outside Hyderabad- it's the end of the runway for the old airport in Begumpet.
The classy airport presents a picture that for the last 60 years has symbolised the surrender of Hyderabad state to the Indian Union in 1948.
In November that year, it was at the Begumpet Airport that the last Nizam of Hyderabad, Mir Osman Ali Khan, received the Iron Man of India, Sardar Patel.
No surprise that Hyderabad, ruled by a man Time Magazine declared the richest in the world, was the only state in pre-independence India to own its own airline.
The baby steps to set up Begumpet Airport were taken in 1937 and in 1945, the Nizam set up Deccan Airways with 12 Dakota aircraft.
Interestingly, Hyderabad's air department was run by the Nizam's Ministry of Railways.
15/03/08 T S Sudhir/NDTV.com

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Categories: Airports Mar 2008