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New Pune airport to be ready in 3-4 years: Devendra Fadnavis
The state government plans to build a new airport at Purandar even as the project faces land acquisition issue and opposition from locals
Deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday said that even as the new terminal at Lohegaon airport will be inaugurated on Sunday, Pune will get a new airport in the next 3-4 years. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will virtually inaugurate the new terminal spread across 51,595 square metres that is anticipated to handle 12 million passengers annually, a substantial upgrade from the current capacity of 7.2 million.
Speaking at the Viksit Bharat Conclave organised by the Pune Platform for Collaborative Response (PPCR), a volunteer group of business, industry, and startup leaders, Fadnavis said, “Even as the new terminal at the existing airport will be inaugurated, we are confident that in the next three to four years, Pune will get another new airport as well. The work for the new airport will start this year itself with land acquisition to be completed in 2024 itself.”
The state government plans to build a new airport at Purandar even as the project faces land acquisition issue and opposition from locals.
Meanwhile, Fadnavis said that the state government has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Centre to develop another expressway between Pune and Sambhajinagar which will connect to the Samruddhi Highway.
“The agreement to develop the new greenfield expressway was signed on Friday. It will pass through Ahmednagar and, once complete, the distance between Pune and Sambhajinagar will be reduced to two to two-and-a-half hours,” he said.
The six-lane expressway will be around 230 kilometres and 3,752 hectares will be acquired by spending ₹4,437, said Fadnavis during the signing of the MoU at the event attended by Union minister for highways Nitin Gadkari. The deputy chief minister said the construction cost of the project will be ₹7,132 and the expressway will connect ring road in Pune district.
According to officials, Maharashtra State Infrastructure Development Corporation (MSIDC), a Maharashtra government undertaking, will oversee both projects.
