Pune’s Lohgaon Airport to Undergo Major Expansion with Runway Extension Plans, 250 Acres Land To Be Acquired Soon

Lohgaon, 26th December 2024: The Minister of State for Civil Aviation, Murlidhar Mohol, announced on Tuesday that the Maharashtra government will initiate the process to acquire 225 to 250 acres of land for the extension of the runway at Pune Airport.

Mohol explained the progress made on the runway extension, stating, “We conducted an obstacle limitation survey (OLS) in collaboration with the Airports Authority of India (AAI), Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), and defence authorities. The results were positive, and the report has already been submitted to the Ministry. The state government will now begin the land acquisition process, and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis will soon convene a meeting with all the stakeholders involved.”

The OLS survey was completed earlier this year. At present, the runway measures 2,535 meters in length and 45 meters in width. The proposed extension includes an additional 500 meters on the eastern side and 300 meters on the western side, which will accommodate wide-bodied aircraft. The estimated cost for the runway extension is approximately Rs 160 crore, with the state government covering 60% of the cost, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) contributing 20%, and the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) and Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA) each providing 10%.

Mohol also highlighted the introduction of “Udan Cafés” at airports across the country as part of the government’s regional connectivity scheme, Udan. The first Udan Café was inaugurated at Kolkata airport on Tuesday. “Passengers have raised concerns about overpriced food at airports, so low-cost food outlets like ‘Udan Café’ will now be available at airports nationwide,” Mohol said.

At Pune’s Lohgaon Airport, the first low-cost food outlet was recently launched at the new terminal building. Pune Airport Director Santosh Dhoke explained, “A half-litre water bottle is priced at Rs 20, tea costs Rs 30, and coffee and some snacks are priced at Rs 40. We will open additional Udan Cafés as per further instructions.”