MUMBAI: Following Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar’s directives to officials to speed up work of Purandar airport in Pune district, the State government has disbursed Rs 45 crore for the airport through a joint venture (JV) company.
The State government plans to develop airports across the State. For this, the State has released Rs 84 crore of the total Rs 140 crore to the Maharashtra Airports Development Corporation (MADC). Out of which, Rs 45 crore has been disbursed for Purandar airport.
The government has released another Rs 28 crore for development of all airports where Rs 5 crore has been kept aside for viability gap funding and amenities at the airports to be developed under the Centre’s Udan project (regional connectivity scheme).
Further, Rs 9 crore has been earmarked for Ratnagiri airport terminus and airport management, Rs 7 crore for Amravati airport and Rs 7 crore for acquisition of more land for Solapur airport.
The government has earmarked Rs 225 crore for development of airports by MADC in 2019-20. To speed up the work of the Purandar airport, the Pune district administration recently appointed seven deputy collectors to oversee the 2,832-hectare land acquisition process in seven villages. The total cost of the project is Rs 3,513 crore.
In the first phase, a company has been formed comprising Pune Metropolitan and Regional Development Authority (PMRDA), Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) and City Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO) to run the project.
Cidco will have 51 per cent stake, MADC 19 per cent, PMRDA and MIDC 15 per cent each in the company. Though the Ratnagiri airport is a defence airport, the State government wants to launch civil air operations from there.
MADC and Airports Authority of India (AAI) last year signed an MoU to facilitate activation of Regional Connectivity Scheme Operations under the UDAN scheme. Meanwhile, the MADC proposes to expand the Solapur airport to land wide-body aircraft.
RS 225 CRORE FOR AIRPORTS IN STATE
- The State has earmarked Rs 225 crore for development of airports by MADC in 2019-20.
- Rs 9 crore has been earmarked for Ratnagiri airport terminus and airport management, Rs 7 crore for Amravati airport and Rs 7 crore for acquisition of more land for Solapur airport.
