Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction) MP Shrirang Barne raised the long-pending issue of constructing an international airport in Pune district's Purandar taluka on Thursday. Responding to the question in the Lok Sabha, Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said the Centre will consider it should the Maharashtra government send a proposal for the same.
Speaking in Marathi, Scindia said, "You should raise this issue with the state government, and if the state government sends us a proposal for a second airport, we will definitely look into it." "It is the state government's responsibility to check the viability. They should check and send it again. We would definitely consider the proposal," Scindia added.
The second airport for Pune was approved in 2002 at Chakan, an industrial hub about 40km from the city. However, after opposition from farmers and landowners of the region, the airport was shifted to Purandar. The new site also ran into opposition from farmers, leading to delays in land acquisition and the project being put into cold storage.
Recently, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis convened a meeting with officials from the Maharashtra Airport Development Corporation (MADC), directing them to formulate a comprehensive land acquisition plan to address these challenges. He emphasised, "The land acquisition necessary for the Purandar Airport should only proceed after a well-defined acquisition plan is in place. We should avoid the need for further land acquisition."
Meanwhile, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and Worli MLA Aaditya Thackeray recently criticised the interim Budget presented by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for overlooking the proposed airport in Purandar.
Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Thackeray expressed his disappointment, highlighting the absence of any mention of Pune’s proposed new airport in the budget. He wrote, "The FM spoke about #UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik) and rapid airport expansion across the country. The question remains, why isn’t Maharashtra considered an equal part of the entire scheme of things? No word on Pune’s proposed new airport. The one proposed by the MVA (Maha Vikas Aghadi) Govt was scrapped by the current regime. Pune’s airport needs are real for the growth of Maharashtra’s industry, commerce, and agriculture. It will connect Western Maharashtra to the world."
