Airport to get hangars for private aircraft

Finally, the plan for hangars for privately-owned small aircraft in the city has been approved and work has started at the Pune Airport. Under the banner of Modernisation of Air Field Infrastructure (MAFI), Airports Authority of India (AAI) is spending Rs 24 crore for constructing six hangars with administrative block and a canopy (shelter) for protecting passengers.

Out in the open: As of now, Lohgaon Airport has a separate area for parking private planes. Pic/Anil Naik

This will benefit 15 privately-owned aircraft and helicopters belonging to industrialists like Bharat Forge, Forbs Motors, Bajaj Auto, First Future, Kirloskar Group, Poonawalas etc. As of now, all such aircraft are parked in open space.

"We expect the work to be completed by this year-end. The main building is 19,000 sq m, out of which, some 6,000 sq m has been allotted for the entire project including the six hangars," Pune airport director PSRK Sudhakar said. "The process of scrutinising technical bid is over and the cheapest tender has been passed in the financial bids. The private operators will be charged for keeping the aircraft in hangars and the charges will be finalised soon."

Terminal manager Jagdish Urkude said, "The work is going on war-footing and we will be able to provide adequate space for cleaning and maintenance work in each hangar."

"We were demanding for the hangars since last many years," said Vijay Sapre, retired Captain of Indian Air Force, who was piloting for some industrialists in the city. "Due to the absence of private hangars, they are forced to park their planes in an apron (open spaces). Hangars for private operators is a basic need."u00a0

Numbers game
>> Number of passengers who visited Pune airport in 2012-13: 34 lakh
>> Number of travellers to have visited airports across the country in 2011-12: 16.23 croreu00a0