Pune to get a private greenfield airport ?

Having given up on the Maharashtra government’s alleged apathy towards Pune’s development needs, the Mahratta Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Agriculture (MCCIA) has decided to raise funds to build a private airport to fulfil a long-standing demand for an international airport here. Mukesh Malhtora, MCCIA president, has already dashed off a letter to Maharashtra chief minister Ashok Chavan requesting permission from the state government to build the airport through privately-raised funds. Such a proposal requires the state government clearance. The government, however, is yet to make its stand clear. Adding an element of urgency to strategic national interests, Air Marshal (retd) S Ramdas, member, MCCIA’s civil aviation committee, said that unless the country wakes up and sets up an international hub, it could lose out to an aggressive and revitalised Sri Lanka. Already, the island country’s deep sea port, Colombo, is the aggregator for India’s shipborne cargo. “Should India not wake up and act in time, Colombo could walk away with the air traffic hub as well,” Mr Ramdas pointed out. “There is no international maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) hub in the five-and-a-half-to-6-hour fly zone over India. To the west are Dubai and Sharjah and to the east are Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur. India is strategically located on south of the Himalayas air routes from Europe and the Middle East. An international hub at Rajgurunagar, near Pune, along with an international airport, is entirely feasible, but a decision needs to be taken now,” he noted, adding, “Unless we act now, Colombo will become an international air traffic hub.” MCCIA’s letter to the chief minister followed civil aviation minister Praful Patel’s comments in Pune in January that his ministry would give the necessary no objection certificate to a private initiative to build Pune’s greenfield airport. Mr Patel had then said the civil aviation ministry’s new policy promotes greenfield airports through private investment. The state government had announced last year that it would allocate Rs 200 crore to the MADC (Maharashtra Airport Development Company) as seed money. However, this has not happened. The state has released just about Rs 70 crore so far. The state government-promoted airport developer has said they need the Rs 200-crore seed money at one go after which they can acquire the land and complete the airport in 42 months, raising the rest of the funds themselves.