Pune: The Pune International Airport has taken a major step toward enhancing passenger services and infrastructure with the formation of a new advisory committee. Abhijit Pawar, has been appointed as one of the five committee members.

Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation and Pune MP Murlidhar Mohol established the five-member advisory committee. Apart from Pawar, the committee includes entrepreneurs Sudhir Mehta and Amit Paranjape, Akhilesh Joshi and former corporator Anil Tingre. The appointments were proposed by Mohol and subsequently approved by the Pune Airport Authority.

The advisory committee is tasked with resolving passenger grievances and improving overall service quality at the airport. This development follows an eight-month delay in the committee's formation after the demise of Girish Bapat in March 2023, who previously held the chairmanship.

After Girish Bapat’s passing, the committee remained inactive, as no by-elections were conducted, and general elections were scheduled for May 2024. In the meantime, Murlidhar Mohol became the Pune MP and was appointed Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation.

During this period, major infrastructure projects were undertaken at Pune International Airport. These included terminal upgrades, runway expansion, renovation of the old terminal, and various passenger-centric improvements. However, the lack of a functioning advisory committee led to frequent complaints from aviation experts and passengers about delays and inefficiencies.

With the formation of the advisory committee, the focus will now shift to addressing passenger concerns and ensuring modern facilities at the airport. The ongoing runway expansion and terminal improvements are expected to significantly boost the airport's capacity and service quality. Members of the advisory committee will play a vital role in shaping these developments and ensuring their timely implementation.