Pune airport
Aviation Experts Call for Meeting of Pune Airport Advisory Committee
Aviation experts are urging Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol to convene a long-overdue meeting of the Pune Airport Advisory Committee (AAC). This request comes as airports nationwide, including Pune, participate in the “Yatri Seva Abhiyan” events, which are set to continue until October 10. The AAC meeting has been pending for nearly a year, highlighting concerns over the ongoing lack of dialogue regarding airport operations and improvements.
Yatri Seva Abhiyan, which began on Sept 17, was inaugurated by Union civil aviation minister Ram Mohan Naidu. Because of the airport’s operational constraints, aviation analyst Dhairyashil Vandekar said AAC meetings were particularly important for Pune.
Sources said the meeting is likely to be held after the Ganapati festival or early next month. Regular flyer and IT professional Dilip Shelar said the ongoing Yatri Seva Abhiyan was a welcome initiative, but several persistent problems at Pune airport needed attention. Authorities have also not been able to address the illegal parking of cabs, autorickshaws and private vehicles on Airport Road and New Airport Road, despite two major parking facilities, including AeroMall,” said Shelar, a Kharadi resident. The AAC meeting is particularly critical as it provides an institutional mechanism to address issues requiring coordination among multiple agencies,” he said. Frequent flyer and business professional Rahul Joshi said Pune also needed more international connections and progress on the long-pending runway extension project.
“Traffic comes first on the list. In the evenings and during VIP movements, roads leading to the airport face major traffic problems. The campaign includes events aimed at improving passenger convenience and highlighting the growth of the aviation sector. “Airport Advisory Committees at AAI airports are required to meet once every six months. Pune airport faces serious runway, land, apron, parking and operational constraints as a civil enclave within an IAF base.