Murlidhar Mohol To Lead Pune Airport Advisory Committee

Bharatiya Janata Party’s Newly Elected Murlidhar Mohol, who recently won the Lok Sabha elections in Pune by defeating Congress’s Ravindra Dhangekar, will become the new chairman of the Pune Airport Advisory Committee. 

The committee’s last meeting was in March 2022, presided over by the late MP Girish Bapat. Following Bapat’s demise on March 29, 2023, and the absence of a by-election to elect a new MP, no meetings have been held, hampering the airport’s development.
Sudhir Mehta, a prominent businessman and former president of the Marhatta Chamber of Commerce, Industries, and Agriculture (MCCIA), highlighted the importance of the committee. “The Pune airport advisory committee is crucial for resolving routine administrative issues. The absence of dialogue is hurting our city,” he said.
Aviation expert and former director of Pune and Shirdi airports, noted that committee meetings had historically resolved many issues. Bapat’s efforts led to the Indian Air Force transferring large land parcels to the Airports Authority of India. This allowed for the construction of the new terminal building and AeroMall.

He emphasized the need for the new MP to focus on the airport. “Had the committee been active, the new terminal building would have been operational by now,” he said.

The Pune airport faces several unresolved problems. Complaints on various mediums, including social media, have not led to solutions, frustrating the public. An MP can bring these issues before the airport authorities, providing a channel for the people’s grievances.