PUNE: The authorities at the airport in Lohegaon have started installing three new aerobridges at the facility. Officials at the airport said they have also begun trial runs for the much-awaited and much-delayed project.
The project was first mooted in October 2016. The deadline was pushed multiple time. This is the first major project aimed at passenger convenience at the Pune airport and is expected to be completed and commissioned by the end of this month.
“The process of installation of the aerobridges is presently on and more information will be shared once the trial runs are completed,” Pune airport director Ajay Kumar said on Sunday.
The senior official didn’t provide any time frame for the commissioning of the aerobridges.
“The aim is to make the new aerobridges operational before the monsoon begins. It has already started raining and so, we want to commission them at the earliest,” one source close to the development said.
The same source added, however, that trial runs have the first priority. “Trial runs are important too for safety’s sake. Once the bridges are operational, the issue of passengers walking on the tarmac will be minimized,” the official added.
Another airport official said the trial runs were expected to go on for two weeks.
Once the three bridges become operational, it will take the number of aerobridges at the Pune airport to five.
At the moment, the facility sees a daily flight movement of 200 and serves 30,000 passengers per day.
“The new terminal building, which is under construction, will boast of five more aerobridges. We are aiming to have all 10 aerobridges operational by 2021,” another official said.
Letter against land for multi-level parking lot
The Pune Municipal Corporation’s decision to acquire and provide 10 acres to the airport for a multi-level parking facility has come under fire from certain quarters.
Dhairyashil Vandekar, an aviation expert and analyst, has written to municipal commissioner Saurabh Rao and mayor Mukta Tilak in this regard.
“Land is in short supply in Pune, especially in the now heavily urbanized area around the airport and, notwithstanding the construction curbs near the airport, the PMC can utilize this land for many essential public utility services in the future. Instead of transferring land to AAI, the civic authorities must create the parking lot and also provide the services at this site as the PMC is more specialized in this activity,” the letter read.
Vandekar added in the letter that this would save the authorities money and time, which would otherwise be spent on seeking permissions and other bureaucratic procedures.
The project was first mooted in October 2016. The deadline was pushed multiple time. This is the first major project aimed at passenger convenience at the Pune airport and is expected to be completed and commissioned by the end of this month.
“The process of installation of the aerobridges is presently on and more information will be shared once the trial runs are completed,” Pune airport director Ajay Kumar said on Sunday.
The senior official didn’t provide any time frame for the commissioning of the aerobridges.
“The aim is to make the new aerobridges operational before the monsoon begins. It has already started raining and so, we want to commission them at the earliest,” one source close to the development said.
The same source added, however, that trial runs have the first priority. “Trial runs are important too for safety’s sake. Once the bridges are operational, the issue of passengers walking on the tarmac will be minimized,” the official added.
Another airport official said the trial runs were expected to go on for two weeks.
Once the three bridges become operational, it will take the number of aerobridges at the Pune airport to five.
At the moment, the facility sees a daily flight movement of 200 and serves 30,000 passengers per day.
“The new terminal building, which is under construction, will boast of five more aerobridges. We are aiming to have all 10 aerobridges operational by 2021,” another official said.
Letter against land for multi-level parking lot
The Pune Municipal Corporation’s decision to acquire and provide 10 acres to the airport for a multi-level parking facility has come under fire from certain quarters.
Dhairyashil Vandekar, an aviation expert and analyst, has written to municipal commissioner Saurabh Rao and mayor Mukta Tilak in this regard.
“Land is in short supply in Pune, especially in the now heavily urbanized area around the airport and, notwithstanding the construction curbs near the airport, the PMC can utilize this land for many essential public utility services in the future. Instead of transferring land to AAI, the civic authorities must create the parking lot and also provide the services at this site as the PMC is more specialized in this activity,” the letter read.
Vandekar added in the letter that this would save the authorities money and time, which would otherwise be spent on seeking permissions and other bureaucratic procedures.
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