Aviation min gives site clearance to new Pune international airport

Mumbai: The civil aviation ministry on Tuesday said it has given "site clearance" for the construction of a greenfield international airport near Pune.

Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis had in 2016 announced the setting up of a greenfield international airport at Purandar in Pune district. Passenger traffic at the existing airport at Lohegaon, which is controlled by the Indian Air Force and operated by the Airports Authority of India, surged 20.6 per cent to 8.16 million in fiscal 2017-18, compared with 6.76 million in fiscal 2016-17, as per the latest AAI data.

"Today, I have accorded site clearance to the new greenfield airport for Pune at Purandar," civil aviation minister Suresh Prabhu said in a tweet. "The existing airport has exhausted its capacity and this new airport will help us (fly) more passenger and (carry out) cargo operations to the vibrant city of Pune," the minister added.

The new airport is expected to come up at an estimated cost of Rs 14,000 crore and will be spread across an area of 2,400 hectare.