Construction Of Pune Airport’s New Terminal Takes Off
Keeping in mind the rising passenger demand, construction has begun on a new 40,000 square metre (sqm) terminal for the Pune airport in Lohegaon.
According to a Pune Airport official, the deadline for building the terminal building is August 2021 but they are going to fast track the project so that it can become functional by December 2019 or January 2020.
Earlier, it was announced that the bhoomi puja for the terminal building would be performed on October 20 after which the construction work would start.
Pune MP Anil Shirole’s statement that top ministers of the Union government were invited for the event had cast a shadow on the beginning of the construction work.
However, the issue has been resolved. According to the official, the invitations have been sent and the ceremony will happen according to the appointments given. But they decided to start the construction because the project is important and should not be delayed. Most of the big projects of the Pune airport’s expansion are on the right track.
Dhairyashil Vandekar, an aviation expert and analyst, speaking about various challenges the airport can face next year said that the airport would have to match the capacity with increasing demand for flights. Another sore area that needs to be tackled effectively in 2019 is the chaotic traffic situation on roads inside and outside the airport.
Once the construction of the new terminal is completed, the airport’s size would increase to 64,300 sqm. The total cost of building the new terminal building is pegged at Rs 400 crores. Over 12 million users are expected to use the airport in 2019-20. This new terminal building would be integrated with the existing one.