Pune international airport project: Covid-19 lends sharp edge to city’s need

That Pune needs an international airport to stamp its arrival as a global destination has been long known. What the pandemic has done, thanks to the Serum Institute of India that manufactures coronavirus vaccines being located in the city, is to highlight this need with poignancy. Unfortunately, yet another change in the proposed airport’s site has dimmed the prospects of the city offering global connectivity any time soon.

While the Airports Authority of India (AAI) has done its best by providing dedicated infrastructure and slots for transport of the vaccines, a disruption is expected between April 26 and May 9, when the airport will suspend flight operations for runway resurfacing and extension works. This was necessary to allow the airport to operate wide-bodied aircraft.