Terminal revamp, new airport, bigger bus fleet to power Pune’s transport push

The renovated old terminal building will have 14 additional check-in counters, a security hold area with three x-ray machines, and two additional boarding gates. The new terminal currently has 34 check-in counters, and the renovated terminal will take the total up to 48. Currently, 10 boarding gates are operational at the airport and two more will be added with the opening of the old terminal.

“Even though 34 counters are sufficient, the additional counters will be helpful when there is a sudden surge of passengers. There will be no unnecessary crowding. The two boarding gates will be remote-based with bus boarding. The regulatory approval takes hardly 1-1.5 months. It might happen before that as well. We will try our best to make the terminal operational by April-end,” said Dhoke.

Purandar airport construction to begin in Q2: Collector

The long-stalled airport at Purandar, facing stiff opposition from farmers for the past 10 years, has finally picked up pace. The district administration has announced that it has received consent from 96 per cent of the farmers for land acquisition, and the land survey has also been completed without any violence or police presence.

Pune District Collector Jitendra Dudi told The Indian Express, “Next year, we can expect completion of land acquisition within the first quarter. And by the second quarter, we can expect the start of the actual construction. Most of the conditions of the farmers have been met; now, just the question of the amount per acre is being discussed.”

He added that the topographical features of the land do not pose much of a hurdle for construction. “We don’t have to cut any mountain. We don’t have to do any deviation of any river stream. And the strata are very solid. So, excavation and other things will happen very fast. We might be able to deliver the airport in three to 3.5 years once we start the work.”

PMPML to increase bus fleet from 2,000 to 3,500

The PMPML will increase its bus fleet from 2,000 to 3,500 by April-May, said Chairperson and Managing Director (CMD) Pankaj Deore. The bus agency serving Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad has been struggling with a fleet of only around 2,000 buses for at least five years.

“The PM-E drive phase-wise delivery will begin in April-May. The final declaration is not done yet, as it involves multiple cities. But we can expect 200-300 buses in April-May. We have given a work order of 1,000 CNG buses to Leyland and Tata. These are 800 buses of 12 metres and 200 9-metre long buses. We are expecting the get the handover by April-May. Additionally, 500 buses that are waiting will also be inducted,” said Deore.

With around 500 buses expected to be scrapped, the fleet will increase from 2,000 to 3,500 by April-May. Cities like Mumbai have seen delays due to manufacturers such as Olectra Greentech defaulting; however, Deore assured that no problems with bus deliveries were anticipated in Pune.