The Airports Authority of India (AAI), Pune continues to wait for the sanction of a 10-acre government land for its project to build residential quarters for AAI and Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) officials and employees.
“We have been in touch with the district collector’s office for the land ever since we moved the proposal a few months ago,” Lohegaon airport director P S R K Sudhakar told TOI. “What we have requested the collector’s office is to give us preferably a government land located within 5-km radius of the airport,” he said.
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As of now, most AAI and CISF officials are residing at homes rented on their own in areas such as Vishrantwadi, Tingrenagar and Lohegaon. A residential complex is a long-pending project of the AAI, Pune.
In fact, the AAI had initially sought a 20-acre land but, has since scaled down the requirement to 10 acres. Post-merger of the erstwhile International Airports Authority of India and the AAI and the Lohegaon airport modernisation works that began in August 2008, the number of AAI staffers in Pune has gone up significantly.
“We have a total of 200 employees stationed in Pune,” said Sudhakar. In between, the airport security was handed over to the CISF as part of the government’s country-wide policy for airports. This led to a 300-strong contingent of CISF stationed in Pune for the airport security duties.
Speaking to TOI, district collector Vikas Deshmukh confirmed that the AAI has approached his office for the land. “We are in the process of identifying a piece of land but, things are yet to be finalised. We hope to process their requirement soon,” Deshmukh said.
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