Lohegaon airport to remain operational even if new airport comes up on Pune’s outskirts: MP Girish Bapat

Currently, the airport is witnessing footfalls of 30,000 to 35,000 passengers with 65 to 70 flights operating every day

Girish Bapat, member of Parliament (MP) from Pune who is also the chairman of the Pune airport advisory committee at Pune airport’s conference hall, on Thursday said, “Lohegaon international airport, which is the property of the Indian Air Force (IAF), will continue to remain operational for commercial flights even if a new airport comes up on the outskirts of Pune in future as the present airport is more convenient for flyers.”

Pune airport will get a multilevel parking facility by June, which can be occupied by 1,000 cars and a multilevel terminal too will be ready for operations by December 2022. (HT FILE PHOTO)

“With the airport situated in a prime locality, it is beneficial for industrialists, students, IT professionals and Pune residents and there is no benefit in shifting it away from the city as it adds more hours to travelling. With this expansion (multilevel car parking and new terminal), the flyers will get all the facilities which are required for comfort travelling. Currently, our prime focus is the expansion of Lohegaon,” Bapat said.

Currently, the airport is witnessing footfalls of 30,000 to 35,000 passengers with 65 to 70 flights operating every day.

“As of now in one hour, 900 passengers are coming to the airport and daily 65 to 70 flights are taking off. After expansion, the number of flights per day will be 200 and the expected passenger footfall per hour will be 2,300. During pre-Covid days, the number of daily passengers had gone up to 70,000,” Bapat said.

Pune airport will get a multilevel parking facility by June, which can be occupied by 1,000 cars and a multilevel terminal too will be ready for operations by December 2022.

“The government has given Rs400 crore for it (multilevel parking and new terminal building). Today, one committee member has come for an inspection and more funds are expected from the central government after the inspection,” said Bapat.

“In the previous meeting held with the directorate general of civil aviation, Jyotiraditya Scindia, civil aviation minister and the central government, all gave their green signal to the expansion. In future wherever the airport site is finalised in the nearby areas of Pune such as Chakan, Rajgurunagar, Purandar or Supe in Baramati, we don’t have any objection as it will be beneficial for western Maharashtra to import agricultural goods,” Bapat said.

Recently the defence ministry allocated 13 acre land to the airport authorities.

“Out of the 13 acre land, 2.5 acre is for cargo and it has already been handed over to us. This cargo facility will be used for the export of agricultural products from the district. Once the remaining land is handed over, it will be used for airport parking. Currently we can park seven aircraft while after expansion, we will be able to park 14 aircraft,” added Bapat.

Runway expansion

Bapat is looking for all valid options to get more land for the runway expansion which will help generate more international traffic from Pune airport. Currently, the total length of the runway is 2,530 metre.

“Currently, we have got 13 acre land from the defence ministry, there is still 10 acre land near the multilevel car parking, 100 acre land of LIC, and the land of the farmers – if we get all this land, runway expansion is easily possible. Anyway, this land cannot be used for any construction activity by the respective stakeholders as per air force laws so if we give them a good amount for their land, expansion is possible,” Bapat said.