Soon No COVID Vaccination Check On Arrival At Pune Airport, 24 Hours Flight Operations To Begin From December 1
Mubarak Ansari
Pune, 24th November 2021: The Airport Advisory Committee (AAC) meeting of the Pune Airport was held today under the Chairmanship of Girish Bapat, Member of Parliament (MP). The meeting was convened by Santosh Dhoke, Airport Director, Pune Airport.
The meeting was attended by Members of the Airport Advisory Committee and representatives of the Airports Authority of India (AAI), Indian Air Force (IAF), Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), Pune Police, Airlines, CISF, Oil Companies, Pune Metro and invitees from other agencies.
Addressing a press conference at the VVIP Circuit House after the meeting, Bapat said that people are facing a lot of inconvenience due to dual check for Coronavirus disease (COVID19) vaccination certificate or RT-PCR report on arrival.
“While boarding flights to Pune from any destination, passengers are already checked for vaccination and RT-PCR test report. There is no need to again check here on arrival. Also, there is no proper medical staff to check the certificates and passengers have to stand in queues unnecessarily. Therefore, we have decided to do away with the dual check and soon an order will be issued in this regard”, he added.
Pune Airport Director Santosh Dhoke said, “From December 1, the flight operations will be round the clock (at present it is between 8 am to 8 pm). The number of flights is expected to go up from the current 60 to 90.”
CISF strength to increase at Pune airport
“In order to fasten the security check, more number of scanners and manpower will be added. The strength of CISF personnel is expected to go up from the current 358 to 526”, Dhoke informed.
Metro route from Pune Airport To Nagar Road?
Bapat said that the Pune Metro authorities have been asked to prepare a detailed project report (DPR) regarding the metro route from the airport. “Whether it will be from Ramwadi (Nagar road) to Pune airport or from Gunjan Chowk in Yerwada to 509 chowk near airport, it will be decided based on the DPR”, he added.
No idea when Purandar airport will be built – Bapat
“We are increasing the infrastructure at Pune airport and it will cater to about 21 million passengers annually in the next two years. The runway extension is also on the cards so that all international flight aircraft can land here. I don’t know when the international airport in Purandar will be built as the land acquisition process is facing resistance”, Bapat said.
In the meeting, various issues were discussed relating to land for cargo, construction of Sewage Treatment Plant (STP), alternate road connectivity to/from the airport to Viman Nagar and near Puru Society, accommodation for CISF personnel; extension of the existing runway, metro connectivity to Pune Airport, traffic regulation inside and outside the airport and other issues related to the airport.
Bapat further informed that several rounds of meetings on all the issues have already taken place and he is regularly taking up these issues with the concerned Ministries and State Government. He reiterated that regular follow-up needs to be taken by the concerned stakeholders/public authorities so that these issues are resolved at the earliest.
ADVT
