1,367 cr likely to speed up Shirdi airport’s new terminal, night landing plans

Pune: The Maharashtra Airport Development Corporation (MADC) authorities are hopeful that the Rs1,367 crore allocation made in the state budget on Monday will speed up the construction of a new terminal building and installation of the night landing facility at Shirdi airport, which has been in the works for a while now.
State finance minister Ajit Pawar made specific mention about a night landing facility here going operational soon. MADC officials said they hope it can launch by the end of March.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) had approved a night landing licence for Shirdi airport back in Feb 2023. However, the facility is yet to begin.
"At present, the runway of Shirdi airport is going through re-carpeting, which will be over this month. The summer schedule of airlines will begin from March 31 onwards, and we are positive that airlines will come with night-time flights. We have been requesting airlines to start night flights here for long. This time, we are positive," a senior MADC official told TOI.
The airport records a total of 18 flight movements between 10am and 6pm on average. MADC officials said the main work of constructing a new terminal building will start in two months — it is expected to be ready by 2027.
"There are some approvals left and MADC is trying to get them. Some work related to the setting up of labour camps, etc., is taking place. We expect the work to start in the next two months," the official added, requesting anonymity.
When TOI contacted MADC vice chairman and managing director Swati Pandey, she only said work on the project was taking place, providing no further details.
In Oct 2024, Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually laid the foundation stone of the new integrated terminal building of Shirdi airport. The total project cost is Rs645 crore. It will be built on a total area of 56,000 sq m, with a capacity to handle 1,200 passengers per hour.
Recently, the MADC was tangled in controversy regarding the construction of a new ATC tower at the location, which the DGCA termed "faulty". In addition to the new terminal building, a cargo terminal will also be set up at Shirdi airport under the PM Gati Shakti Scheme, expected to benefit farmers in the surrounding areas.
In an earlier conversation with TOI, aviation expert and former Shirdi airport director Deepak Shastri had emphasized that the MADC needs to push airlines harder to begin night landing at the said facility.
Pune: The Maharashtra Airport Development Corporation (MADC) authorities are hopeful that the Rs1,367 crore allocation made in the state budget on Monday will speed up the construction of a new terminal building and installation of the night landing facility at Shirdi airport, which has been in the works for a while now.
State finance minister Ajit Pawar made specific mention about a night landing facility here going operational soon. MADC officials said they hope it can launch by the end of March.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) had approved a night landing licence for Shirdi airport back in Feb 2023. However, the facility is yet to begin.
"At present, the runway of Shirdi airport is going through re-carpeting, which will be over this month. The summer schedule of airlines will begin from March 31 onwards, and we are positive that airlines will come with night-time flights. We have been requesting airlines to start night flights here for long. This time, we are positive," a senior MADC official told TOI.
The airport records a total of 18 flight movements between 10am and 6pm on average. MADC officials said the main work of constructing a new terminal building will start in two months — it is expected to be ready by 2027.
"There are some approvals left and MADC is trying to get them. Some work related to the setting up of labour camps, etc., is taking place. We expect the work to start in the next two months," the official added, requesting anonymity.
When TOI contacted MADC vice chairman and managing director Swati Pandey, she only said work on the project was taking place, providing no further details.
In Oct 2024, Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually laid the foundation stone of the new integrated terminal building of Shirdi airport. The total project cost is Rs645 crore. It will be built on a total area of 56,000 sq m, with a capacity to handle 1,200 passengers per hour.
Recently, the MADC was tangled in controversy regarding the construction of a new ATC tower at the location, which the DGCA termed "faulty". In addition to the new terminal building, a cargo terminal will also be set up at Shirdi airport under the PM Gati Shakti Scheme, expected to benefit farmers in the surrounding areas.
In an earlier conversation with TOI, aviation expert and former Shirdi airport director Deepak Shastri had emphasized that the MADC needs to push airlines harder to begin night landing at the said facility.