Pune: CM Devendra Fadnavis Says Purandar Airport Construction To Begin In December; Land Acquisition Underway

Pune: Work on the proposed Chhatrapati Sambhajiraje International Airport at Purandar is expected to begin in December, with the state government saying the project is moving ahead as planned. The Maharashtra Airport Development Company (MADC), which is overseeing the greenfield airport project, is preparing to float tenders shortly.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said the December timeline for starting construction would be maintained. He added that preparatory activities would continue alongside the ongoing land acquisition process.

Land acquisition remains a key step in the airport's development. According to state officials, more than 90% of farmers in Purandar have agreed to the proposed compensation and purchase terms. The district administration had extended the deadline for landowners to give their consent until August 16 to allow more farmers to participate.

The project requires around 1,217 hectares of private land spread across seven villages in Purandar taluka. These include Khanwadi, Kumbharvalan, Ekhatpur, Pargaon Memane, Vanpuri, Munjewadi and Udachiwadi.

As of August 2, compensation had been paid for around 630 hectares, accounting for nearly 52% of the land required for the project.

The airport is expected to strengthen Pune's air connectivity and improve the city's cargo handling capacity. With the tendering process set to move forward and land acquisition progressing, authorities are now working towards keeping the project on schedule for construction to begin by December.