Pune: Union Civil Aviation Minister Suresh Prabhu’s efforts have paid off as several airport projects including Pune airport’s new terminal building construction have picked up pace in the past one year.
The Pune airport continued its impressive 20 per cent passenger traffic growth in 2017-18. The increase in total number of passengers in the State is remarkable. Air traffic movement and cargo development have improved in the last three years.
Prabhu sanctioned more than Rs 1,200 crore for the airport infrastructure projects in Maharashtra.
The routes connecting Sindhudurg to Pune, Mumbai and Nashik have already been approved for UDAN 3.1 (Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik) and bids have been called from the airlines. The flight operations from the airport (under UDAN scheme) will commence soon.
With Prabhu’s efforts, the new aircraft operating system in Maharashtra will be developed with Rs 700 crore. The greenfield airport in Sindhudurg is ready at a project cost of Rs 520 crore.
Prabhu has given full commitment to airport projects. The new integrated terminal building at Pune airport got a grant of Rs 450 crore on February 2.
Rs 29.75 crore was also granted for Kolhapur airport by the Union Minister. Recently, he inaugurated the apron at Pune airport, which will be built with a cost of Rs 16 crore.
The newly constructed terminal building of Chipi has capacity to handle 400 passengers per hour and an annual passenger capacity of about 10 lakh.
An Memorendum of Understanding (MoU) was signed by Airport Authority of India and Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) in the presence of the Civil Aviation Minister Jayant Sinha.
Greenfield airports in Purandar, Navi Mumbai and Boramani in Maharashtra have also been approved. The Konkan region is blessed with rich natural beauty, ancient temples and historical forts.
With the airport coming up in the region, air connectivity to areas of North Karnataka, western Maharashtra and parts of Goa will improve. It will boost tourism and economic development of the region.
Prabhu said the efforts of the Centre have improved the airline services in Maharashtra which gave a boost to the airline sector.
