Pune: A crucial survey of Pune Airport's runway, known as the Obstacle Limitation Surface (OLS) survey, is set to commence on Monday (July 8). The Airports Authority of India (AAI) will oversee this operation, with a special team arriving from Delhi to conduct the survey.
The survey is expected to last a minimum of ten days, with the findings to be submitted to the Ministry of Civil Aviation. Once the ministry approves, the runway expansion project will begin.
How OLS is done
Expert engineers from AAI's engineering department will begin the survey on Monday, accompanied by officials from Pune Airport administration. Initially, the survey will focus on the eastern and western areas of the runway.
Subsequently, nearby buildings and trees will be inspected to identify any potential hazards to aircraft takeoff and landing post-extension. If no obstructions are found, the runway extension will proceed with approval.
Expected Cost: ₹160 Crore
Currently, the runway measures 2,535 meters (8,316 feet) in length and 45 meters in width. An additional 500 meters to the east and 300 meters to the west is required.
The extension will add approximately 800 meters, bringing the total length to about 10,940 feet, which will accommodate larger aircraft. The land acquisition for this project is estimated to cost around ₹160 crore.
Efforts to extend the runway's length and width have been ongoing for several years without success. However, the positive stance of the state government played a pivotal role.
Chief Minister Eknath Shinde granted approval for the runway extension, followed by persistent efforts from Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol with Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, securing the necessary permissions.
The Pune Airport runway falls under the jurisdiction of the defense forces, requiring their approval. Following this approval, Dr. Chandrakant Pulkundwar was appointed as the liaison officer by the government.
