Hadapsar Gliding Centre Privatization Sparks Concern; Pune Citizens Appeal To DGCA To Retain Public Access
Hadapsar Gliding Centre Privatization Sparks Concern; Pune Citizens Appeal To DGCA To Retain Public Access
Pune, December 19: Yogesh Dattatraya Sasane, former municipal councilor of the Pune Municipal Corporation, has appealed to DGCA Director General D.C. Sharma to reconsider the decision to transfer Hadapsar Gliding Centre to the Airports Authority of India (AAI) under a 99-year PPP model lease.
Established in 1950 by the then Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Hadapsar Gliding Centre is India’s first and only operational facility of its kind. Designed to provide affordable glider pilot training to youth from underprivileged backgrounds, it has produced numerous pilots over the past 74 years. While similar centres across the country have ceased operations, Hadapsar remains functional, offering glider rides for just ₹187 and free pilot training.
The news of the centre’s proposed privatization, published in The Indian Express on December 13, 2024, has caused widespread concern among aspiring pilots and local residents. Many fear that commercializing the facility will deprive economically disadvantaged students of access to affordable aviation training.
Sasane highlighted that the transfer would contradict the original vision of the gliding centre, which was to empower youth with affordable aviation opportunities. He urged DGCA and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to allocate additional funds to enhance the centre’s facilities rather than privatizing it.
On behalf of Hadapsar and Pune residents, Sasane appealed for the gliding centre to remain under central government management, ensuring it continues to serve as a beacon of opportunity for thousands of aspiring pilots from marginalized communities.
