Chaos prevailed at Pune Airport after fluctuation in lighting system delayed flights by nearly two and half hours this evening. According to officials,due to the fluctuation,there was no take off or arrival from 4.30 pm to 7 pm at the airport today. Pune airport director P S R K Sudhakar said there was no cancellation of the flights. According to officials,the fluctuation in the lighting system at the airport was due to the switchover from diesel generator system to normal electric supply line from the local substation. Officials said the lighting system at the airport is maintained by the Indian Air Force which informed the airport officials about the problem following which the flights were rescheduled. The airport is jointly looked after by the Indian Air Force and the Airport Authority of India. The normal traffic on airport was,however,restored after 7.10 pm once the lighting system was rectified. We maintain apron lighting and terminal building at the airport and the runway lighting is maintained by IAF. The flights were rescheduled once the probplem came to light, said Sudhakar. Airport officials said as many as five flights scheduled to arrive between 6-6.30 pm were delayed. However,there was no change in the timings of flights which were to arrive after 7.10 pm. Among the flights which got delayed was a Delhi-bound Air India flight which was to take off between 6-6.45 pm. The flights continued to arrive without any problem after the lighting system was rectified. After 10.30 pm we have some 11 flights landing and there was no change in their schedule. The international flights arrive as late as 3 am and there has been no change in their schedule as well, said an official. Airport director Sudhakar said the traffic remains thin during evening when the problem took place. Between 7-10 pm IAF carries out maintenance work, he said. Airport officials said after the air-carriers were informed about the problem they rescheduled their flights by intimating their counterparts at different airforce stations. We ensured that there was no trouble to passengers and there were regular announcements about the problem, said an official. IAF spokesman was not available for comment.
