Chhatrapati Sambhaji Raje International Airport
| Chhatrapati Sambhaji Raje International Airport[1] छत्रपती संभाजी राजे आंतरराष्ट्रीय विमानतळ[2] | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IATA: none – ICAO: none | |||||||||||||||
| Summary | |||||||||||||||
| Airport type | Public | ||||||||||||||
| Owner | Maharashtra Airport Development Company | ||||||||||||||
| Operator | Maharashtra Airport Development Company | ||||||||||||||
| Serves | Pune Metropolitan Area) | ||||||||||||||
| Location | Purandar, Pune district | ||||||||||||||
| Elevation AMSL | 2,277 ft / 694 m | ||||||||||||||
| Coordinates | 18°20′56″N 074°08′02″E / 18.34889°N 74.13389°E | ||||||||||||||
| Map | |||||||||||||||
  New Location of airport in India | |||||||||||||||
| Runways | |||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||
Chhatrapati Sambhaji Raje International Airport is a proposed upcoming international airport for Indian city of Pune. The airport will be located near villages of Kumbharvalan,Ikhatpur-Munjawadi,Khanwadi,Pargaon Memane,Vanpuri,Udachiwadi near Saswad in Purandhar taluka of Pune District in Indian state of Maharashtra. The chief minister of Maharashtra Mr. Devendra Fadnavis declared that the first flight from this airport is expected take off by 2019 and will be named after Maratha emperor Chhatrapati Shambhaji who was born at Purandhar fort.
The Airport authority of India conducted survey on various areas near Pune city for a new fully fudge international airport for the city. Initially a site near Chakan was fixed for the airport. But due opposition from local farmers and due to mountainous terrain the government decided to set new airport in Purandhar taluka as it was a plain region compared to Chakan. [3] This airport will also boost trade from Pune and neighboring districts as it will have its own dedicated cargo terminal. [4]
Current Lohegaon air force station serves as an international airport for the city. But due to restricted traffic only two to four international flights can operate from the airport. Moreover its an air force base and has a single civil terminal which operates both international as well as domestic traffic. Almost 65 to 70 flights operate connecting major domestic destination. This is crowding the existing airport and leading to delay of flights as the airport has only eight parking bays out of which one is used for VIP's and other is used for charter operations and the remaining carry the load of international as well as domestic fights. Hence this leaded to need for a dedicated international airport for the city as the city is one of the fastest growing city in India and is included in Smart City program of the Indian government. However until completion of new airport the existing airport will be expanded.
Connection
Once this airport is completed this will boost trade from Pune city and also attract business and tourism to the city. Many people from Pune travel to ASEAN countries, Australia, United States, United Kingdom, Europe and Gulf countries for trade, education, tourism, business etc. Today they need to take a flight from the Lohegaon airport or travel all the way to Mumbai. Direct service can be started from this airport which will reduce the load over Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport and upcoming Navi Mumbai International Airport after ingratiation. Pune will be one of the major hub of agricultural, industrial and information technology trade.
Rajewadi is a railway station on Pune - Bangalore railway line which can serve as connection to the city. Approach road will be constructed to the airport from the city and the decision for connection with rapid transit systems is yet to be finalized.
References
- ↑ "Chhatrapati Sambhaji Raje Airport". Indian Express. 7 October 2016. Retrieved 8 October 2016.
- ↑ "पुण्यातील विमानतळाला छत्रपती संभाजी राजे यांचे नाव...". Zee News. 6 October 2016. Retrieved 8 October 2016.
- ↑ "Airports Authority Selects Purandar For International Airport Near Pune: Devendra Fadnavis". NDTV. 7 October 2016. Retrieved 8 October 2016.
- ↑ "It's official: Pune to get new international airport at Purandar". Times of India. 7 October 2016. Retrieved 8 October 2016.