Pune: The inauguration of Pune airport’s new terminal building has faced delays, with Minister of State for Civil Aviation V K Singh revealing that the facility is not yet ready for public use. Responding to queries from Shiv Sena’s Rajya Sabha member Priyanka Chaturvedi, Singh addressed concerns raised about the prolonged wait for the new terminal’s inauguration.
Singh clarified in Parliament, “The inauguration of the new building has not been kept waiting for five months. Right now, the work is going on. Until now, work has not been completed.” Chaturvedi had questioned the delay, stating, “In Pune, the new terminal is ready for five months now but has not been inaugurated. Why is there a delay? Why is the building waiting for inauguration for five months?”
Pune airport authorities responded to the claims, stating, “The installation of the inline baggage screening system is in progress. Improvements in artwork/testing/dry runs of various operational facilities, along with the site acceptance test (SAT) of CCTV, IT infrastructure, and FIDS system, is also underway and will be completed soon.”
Aditya Thackeray, President of Yuva Sena of Shiv Sena (UBT), expressed his concern on social media, emphasizing the apparent contradiction in government actions. “The government refuses to inaugurate the new building of the old Pune airport, fully ready, for five months. On the other hand, to claim credit, they want to inaugurate an unfinished coastal road in Mumbai. Elections are the criteria, not citizens,” he wrote on X.
The Pune airport’s new terminal project, valued at Rs475 crore, commenced in 2017. Despite previous statements by senior airport officials indicating readiness, the situation took a turn on January 12, when Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia inspected the building. He revealed suggested changes and assured that the inauguration would take place within two to three weeks.
Efforts to reach Pune airport director Santosh Dhoke for the current status of the building were unsuccessful at the time of publishing.
