Maharashtra Approves ₹65 Crore First Phase Of Baramati Airport Revamp, ATC Tower & Runway Recarpeting Among Key Priorities

Mumbai: The Maharashtra government greenlit phase 1 of the comprehensive redevelopment plan for Baramati Airport. The overhaul carries a total projected investment of Rs 100 crore managed by the airport operator Maharashtra Airport Development Company (MADC), with the focus on immediate operational safety and regulatory upgrades in the first leg.

The executive approval comes nine months after former Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and four others tragically lost their lives in a charter plane crash near the airstrip threshold on January 28.

The state aviation authority confirmed the approval from the state government on Thursday and said that bids for appointing a project management consultant will be issued on Friday to expedite ground execution. Under phase 1, Rs 65 crore has been sanctioned for civil works and infrastructure installations, including runway recarpeting, creation of runway end safety areas, area grading and a compound wall.

ATC Tower And Emergency Facilities Planned

The planned work in the first phase will also witness the construction of a dedicated air traffic control (ATC) tower alongside a prefabricated technical block, replacing the makeshift student-run monitoring systems previously in place. The plan also includes construction of a full-scale fire station and dedicated emergency care rooms, along with widespread CCTV camera coverage.

The complete upgradation plan also includes advanced airfield lighting, including Precision Approach Path Indicator (PAPI) lights to support landing operations.

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Airport Operations And Existing Safety Deficits

Baramati Airport, built in the 1990s, has remained an uncontrolled airstrip over the decades. While the airstrip is regularly used by cadet pilots undergoing training for a Commercial Pilot Licence, it also handles roughly 10 to 12 chartered flight movements a month.

The severe safety deficits of the facility were exposed on January 28, when a chartered Learjet 45 carrying the then Dy. CM Ajit Pawar crash-landed while attempting to touch down in poor visibility. The incident underscored critical deficiencies: the airstrip lacked an emergency fire tender on standby, forcing local authorities to dispatch municipal fire engines from the town, causing severe delays.

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