Pune, Mumbai See Spike in Helicopter Bookings for Municipal Election Campaigns

Pune, 7th January 2026: With municipal corporation elections scheduled across Maharashtra on January 15, political parties have stepped up preparations by increasingly relying on helicopters to move senior leaders and star campaigners swiftly between multiple rally locations. Aviation industry representatives say bookings for chartered choppers have risen steadily in recent weeks.

Officials from private aviation firms said around a dozen helicopters have already been booked for political campaigning. “Two to three helicopters are currently flying regularly for political leaders. Even during municipal council elections in the past, there was notable demand for choppers,” said Ishwarchandra Gulgule, Managing Director of Kaigu Aviation Private Limited.

Gulgule explained that the duration of helicopter use varies depending on the scale of elections. “During Lok Sabha or Assembly elections, helicopters are typically deployed for about 45 days. In the case of local body elections, the flying period is usually limited to around 10 days,” he said. Hiring charges are calculated on an hourly basis and depend on whether the helicopter is single-engine or twin-engine. “Compared to the Assembly elections held last year, rates have gone up slightly due to higher aviation fuel costs and operational expenses, but this has not affected demand,” he added.

Currently, renting a twin-engine helicopter costs between Rs 4 lakh and Rs 8 lakh per hour, while single-engine helicopters are hired for around Rs 1.7 lakh to Rs 3 lakh per hour. Industry estimates suggest that there are about 12 helicopters collectively available for charter operations in Pune and Mumbai.

A representative of another aviation company said the scale of bookings for civic elections was unexpected. “Since these elections are being held after nearly nine years, there is heightened political activity. Right now, parties are finalising seat-sharing arrangements. We expect bookings to rise after December 31, with peak demand between January 1 and January 13,” the official said.

Industry sources said senior political leaders, including Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, and ministers Chandrashekhar Bawankule and Pankaja Mundhe, are among those frequently using helicopters for campaign travel. “Using choppers allows leaders to cover multiple locations in a short span of time,” Gulgule said. He recalled that during earlier municipal council elections, a single party had hired as many as five helicopters.

He also pointed to the expansion of aviation infrastructure in the city. “The number of helipads in Pune has increased from five last year to around 15 now. From an industry perspective, charter aviation activity has almost taken off in a big way,” he said.

Earlier, Pune airport officials had also noted a rise in non-scheduled flight operations, including charter aircraft and helicopters, reflecting increased political and commercial usage during the election period.