Kolhapur airport renamed 'Chhatrapati Rajaram Maharaj Airport'

There was a long pending demand from the people and leaders of Kolhapur district to rename the airport

Suresh Prabhu, union minster for civil aviation on his visit to Maharashtra on Saturday announced the joint decision taken by central and state government to rename Kolhapur airport as Chhatrapati Rajaram Maharaj Airport.

Suresh Prabhu, union minster for civil aviation on his visit to Maharashtra on Saturday announced the joint decision taken by central and state government to rename Kolhapur airport as Chhatrapati Rajaram Maharaj Airport (HT PHOTO)

Prabhu said, “Chhatrapati Rajaram Maharaj started the Kolhapur airport among various other infrastructure projects in the pre independence period which in turn exhibits his visionary insight. He was responsible for the airstrip in the erstwhile princely state of Kolhapur. Therefore it is a moment of pride for us to rename the airport after him.”

The minister also announced that the central government will be developing various facilities at the Kolhapur airport such as the night landing facility, cargo place, parking spaces along with workshops used for maintenance of the airport and an air traffic control tower.

The state legislature assembly in March 2018, passed a resolution, recommending the centre to rename Kolhapur airport as 'Chhatrapati Rajaram Maharaj Airport'. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis moved the resolution in the Lower House to rename the airport after the member of the erstwhile royal family of Kolhapur. The Chair then put the resolution to vote which was passed unanimously.

There was a long pending demand from the people and leaders of Kolhapur district to rename the airport. The civic body had also passed a resolution to this effect.