With the Navi Mumbai airport getting the final green nod, the much delayed Pune's international airport at Chakan will get a push forward. It should not take a month before things get moving for the Chakan airport project, according to state government officials.
Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, the guardian minister of Pune, has been pushing for the airport, which would be the first civil airport in the area, the Lohegaon airport being operated by the defence services.
"I have asked the Maharashtra Airport Development Company (MADC) and the Pune district collector to give me a report in a month. Though there is enough said about protests from the locals, we need to have direct talks and address their issues, whether it is on irrigated land or compensation. We need a definite answer in a month's time. One cannot circumvent the issue after the state cabinet has allotted the seed capital of Rs 200 crore," said secretary, general administration (civil aviation) NY Jhantre.
The Navi Mumbai airport - aimed at decongesting the choked Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport in Mumbai - the proposed Chakan-Rajguru airport and the Chakan airport had been taken up by the civil aviation ministry simultaneously. "The clearance of the Navi Mumbai airport should be seen as a positive sign for the Pune civil airport. The government stands committed to both these airports and I will make sure there is no further delay," he said.
Land acquisition has been a major concern for the Chakan airport project. Pune divisional commissioner Dilip Band, who had attended a meeting with the Chief Minister last week, said that the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) could help in land acquisition.
"MIDC is acquiring land in the area for the Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in Khed-Chakan area and the government could assess the land and check if it is feasible for the airport. This is just one of the options to speed up land acquisition,"suggests Band.
... contd.
Please read our terms of use before posting comments
TERMS OF USE: The views expressed in comments published on indianexpress.com are those of the comment writer's alone. They do not represent the views or opinions of The Indian Express Group or its staff. Comments are automatically posted live; however, indianexpress.com reserves the right to take it down at any time. We also reserve the right not to publish comments that are abusive, obscene, inflammatory, derogatory or defamatory.