Pune: Protest Intensifies Against 99-Year PPP Lease Of Hadapsar Gliding Centre

Pune: Protest Intensifies Against 99-Year PPP Lease Of Hadapsar Gliding Centre
Pune, January 4: Former Corporator Yogesh Sasane, along with local citizens, has been protesting for the past 15 days against the decision to lease the Hadapsar Gliding Centre land to the Airports Authority of India (AAI) under a 99-year Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model for a nominal rent of ₹1 per year. Sasane and the protesters argue that the move is a step toward privatization through the backdoor.
Currently, the Gliding Centre offers affordable access to flying experiences, with glider rides priced at ₹187 and pilot training courses available for ₹40,000–₹50,000. However, concerns have been raised that after the PPP transfer, these costs could skyrocket, making such opportunities unaffordable for students from economically weaker sections.
In response to this decision, over 6,000 citizens have signed a petition, and more than 25,000 students have sent emotional postcards to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, appealing to revoke the decision and preserve the Centre’s accessibility.
As part of the ongoing protest, former Corporator Sasane has announced a one-day symbolic hunger strike. The hunger strike will take place tomorrow at the main gate of the Gliding Centre on Pune-Saswad Road, starting at 8 a.m. Sasane has called upon citizens from the Hadapsar area and nearby localities to join the protest, sign the petition, and participate in a human chain to demonstrate their opposition to the decision.
This protest highlights concerns over the potential impact on the aspirations of economically disadvantaged youth who dream of becoming pilots, as well as fears of losing an iconic and affordable public service in the name of privatization