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Post Info TOPIC: Pune’s international airport dream crashlands --- IAF raises objections
karatecatman


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Pune’s international airport dream crashlands --- IAF raises objections
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http://www.financialexpress.com/fe_full_story.php?content_id=131350


Pune’s international airport dream crashlands  
 

Thursday, June 22, 2006 at 0000 hours IST 
  

PUNE, JUNE 21:  Pune’s dream of having its own independent airport has crashlanded. The city’s appeal as an IT destination is all set to take a beating with no hopes of another airport project for years to come. The proposed international airport at Chakan has been given the thumbs down by the Indian Air Force (IAF). The IAF has withdrawn the in-principle clearance issued for the development of the international airport.
Chakan, about 35 kms from Pune, was to be the alternative site for the Pune airport which it shares with the IAF. The civil airport is located at the Lohegaon airfield and has been struggling to cope with the growing demand from airlines and passengers. As it is a defence airport, there are severe restrictions on the flight movement. It was only recently that it was made operational on a 24 hour-basis. International flights commenced from December 12, 2005 for Singapore and Dubai. However, smaller runaways restricted larger planes from landing, offering limited connectivity.



The IAF has argued that the orientation of Chakan runaway would infringe with the traffic originating from Pune airfield leading to a clash in the flight path of air traffic from the two airfields. The Lohegaon airbase is home to Sukhois. The IAF has suggested moving further away on the Pune-Nashik highway to Rajguru Nagar.


“Chakan is a dead project. It had been cleared by the ministry and MIDC had gone ahead with the acquisition of land. But the IAF cancelled permission on the grounds that the runaway mode is not feasible. A fresh rider posed by the civil aviation ministry that all greenfield airports should have two runaways has not gelled well with the IAF which has withdrawn permission for the single runaway project at Chakan,” Suresh Kalmadi, chairman, advisory committee, Pune airport said.


As the techno-feasibility study of Rajguru Nagar is yet to get underway, the only option left will be to make best use of the existing airport. The Airports Authority of India (AAI) is in the process of acquiring 50 acres for lengthening the runaway to global standards.


Another 66 acres would be acquired from the IAF besides an additional 200 acres outside the airport, Deepak Shastri, airport director, AAI said. A Rs 75-crore modernisation plan for expanding the existing building is in process.
 



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Nimish


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Surely there is a way to align the runways/air corridors in a manner that they don't interfere with operations at the current Lohegaon Airport? Pune definitely needs a new airport, and I don't know what axe the IAF has to grind with the city making progress?

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himmat01


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Yeah, It's true Chakan is almost on the flight path to the IAF airbase at Lohegaon. I remember seeing IAF Jaguars streaking over Chakan regularly back in 1998.

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the_380


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Pune does need another airport as it is an intl airport. And the Air Force dominates the existing one-no flights after dark. Same in Goa i feel even Goa shud get another fully-commercial airport.

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vivekman


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You are right! Both Pune & Goa need newer & bigger airports. Both are crowd pullers - Pune for its educational institutes & IT companies and Goa for tourism. The International airports will be instrumental in the faster development of these places.


I think IAF needs to soften its stand and learn to co-exist with the civilian air-traffic. And this is just the beginnning. With aviation industry growing at a rapid pace in India, we will experience many such clashes between the IAF and civil aviation!!


the_380 wrote:

Pune does need another airport as it is an intl airport. And the Air Force dominates the existing one-no flights after dark. Same in Goa i feel even Goa shud get another fully-commercial airport.



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VABBy


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I guess countries defence preparedness is far more critical and higher priority than international airport at pune. Sukhoi,s are the critical and tatical part of the IAF. If they(Airforce) feels that operations are being hampered or will be hampered due to this new developed they are absolutely justified to raise an objection. If pune is willing to close it doors to IAF i am sure it can pursue its new dreams for an international airport which though i guess is not an option.



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the_380


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whos asking them to shift the airbase...just make a newer commercial airport that solves the deal

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