Second airport at Pune set to be grounded by Air Force

For now, the second airport is likely to remain a distant dream for Pune, with the Indian Air Force (IAF) expressing apprehensions over the project, citing security reasons.

A senior Airports Authority of India (AAI) official said, given the IAF's objections, the project might be dropped despite good traffic potential. The feasibility report on the project is expected by the end of next month.

AAI sources said efforts are on to find an alternative site near Pune for the airport on a priority basis, with rapid growth of air traffic volume in and out of the city.

The IAF has said, with the Lohegaon Air Base in the vicinity, international flights in and out of Chakan could pose a security threat. Ironically, the current air traffic "� in and out of the city "� operates out of the Air Force base at Lohegaon. However, Chakan is located around 70 km away from the IAF base.

The feasibility report on the second airport for Mumbai at Navi Mumbai is expected by the middle of next year. AAI sources said, "The state government has asked international consultants to prepare the report, and we have been given to understand that the report is expected only by mid-2006. So, only after that wheels will start rolling."

The sources added that according to the Indian government policy, if any new airport comes up within 150 km of an existing airport, then a feasibility report on the operational coexistence of both airports is a must.

"There is no doubt that Mumbai needs a second airport, but in the case of the second airport we don't want to end up in a situation where airplanes hover over the city because of congestion on approach path to the airport," they said. In fact, many a time airplanes have to hover around Mumbai because of congestion on approach path to the Sahar airport.

The proposed airport near Panvel is going to come up at an estimated cost of Rs 3,230 crore. The airport will have two parallel runways with full taxi-ways on either side of the runways. It will also have all the facilities to accommodate the new large aircraft.

According to industry estimates, air passenger traffic to Mumbai is expected to rise up to 8.2 million a year by 2010 and 13.7 million a year by 2020. The second airport is expected to cater to this increased traffic.