With no new airport in sight for Pune, AAI seeks extra land from IAF

Pune: With Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee refusing to give any commitment on the proposal to set up an international airport at Chakan, the Airports Authority of India has sought extra land from the Indian Air Force to expand the existing Lohegaon airport. While earlier, the AAI had sought 66 acres for civil enclave expansion of Lohegaon, at meeting on Sunday with Mukherjee, the Airport Advisory Committee (AAC) asked for an additional 13 acres.
‘‘We have requested the minister to release 66 acres of land on one side of the airport and 13 acres on the other side for expansion work,’’ AAC president and MP Suresh Kalmadi said.
‘‘We asked the minister for an additional 13 acres to link the terminal with the 200 acres that will be earmarked near Viman Nagar,’’ airport director Deepak Shastri said.
Earlier, Mukherjee did not give any assurance on the Chakan project.
23/07/06 Expressindia.com

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