Good News For Punekars: International Flights To Start Soon As Decks Cleared For Pune Airport Runway Extension, Says MoS Murlidhar Mohol

Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol has informed that the Obstacles Limitation Surface (OLS) survey, conducted by the Airports Authority of India (AAI) for the proposed extension of Pune International Airport at Lohegaon, has received a positive response.

“Happily, for the people of Pune, the OLS report for the runway extension is positive and will pave the way for international flights from Pune Airport after resolving some technical issues,” Mohol said.

In a high-level meeting held in Delhi on Tuesday, the Pune MP said various issues were discussed concerning the runway extension, including land acquisition from the state government, transfer of land from the Ministry of Defence, apron area, runway length, and more.

The OLS survey, conducted in July this year, helps in identifying and mapping obstacles around an airport to ensure safe aircraft operations and regulatory compliance. This survey produces detailed maps of protected airspace, preventing interference with takeoff, landing, and manoeuvring. It is essential for accommodating wide-body aircraft, which have larger fuel tanks that enable direct flights to continents like Europe and North America.

Currently, the runway at Pune Airport is 2,535 metres long (8,316 feet) and 45 metres wide. An additional 500 metres of space is required on the eastern side of the runway, and 300 metres on the western side. If the runway is extended by about 800 metres, the total length will be approximately 10,940 feet. If the length of the runway reaches 11,000 feet, even large planes will be able to land at Pune Airport. The estimated cost for acquiring the required site is around ₹160 crore.