Weeks after the inauguration of the new terminal at Pune Airport, talks about land acquisition for Purandar Airport have begun.
Former Pune mayor and Minister of State for Civil Aviation and Cooperation, Murlidhar Mohol, announced on Monday that officials from the Maharashtra and central governments will soon hold a joint meeting to discuss the proposed international airport at Purandar, focusing on key issues such as land acquisition. He also mentioned that initial discussions with Maharashtra Industry Minister Uday Samant have already taken place.
Mohol added that Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Ministers Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar have expressed positive support for the project. Once the land acquisition process starts, the central government will take steps to speed up the construction of the Purandar Airport, he added.
Since Mohol took office in June, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) have approved the proposed airport at the original site in Purandar, resolving all technical issues.
Officials noted that Purandar is a dry area with low rainfall, where most of the land is non-agricultural, with some farmers only growing kharif crops. Pune is in need of a second international airport to handle the growing air traffic currently managed by the Lohegaon airport. The project has faced delays due to site clearances and pending approvals. The new airport will be located near Saswad and Jejuri in Purandar Taluka.
