Pune: The Pune Airport, based at Lohegaon, has been ranked sixth across the country in domestic cargo operations. Although, the airport is lagging behind top metro cities in the terms of ranking, it has seen an increase in the growth by 72 per cent in April to June (year-on-year) in cargo operations, said Ajay Kumar, Director of Pune Airport on Friday.
Ajay Kumar was speaking at an event organised by Maharatta Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Agriculture (MCCIA) on ‘Warehousing & Logistics Summit - Optimising Procurement, Automation and Smart Warehousing Solutions’. Kumar spoke about the ‘challenges and potential: national and international cargo from Pune’.
“Pune Airport handled 14,522 tonnes domestic cargo from April to June 2018. Last year, it was 8,406 tonnes which are 72 per cent above from the same period of last year. On provision of land from the State government, existing BSO yard and CWE office will be relocated and new common user integrated cargo terminal will be constructed,” said Ajay Kumar.
Kumar said, “The expectation of an increase in volumes of domestic cargo by this year-end. We are placed sixth among the top metro cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai and Bengaluru. The growth was recorded in top major airports is 72 per cent. We are exploring opportunities of sending of cargo by freighter aircraft. The freighters’ park will be available by October 28. The same will, however, help the domestic cargo services too. We are expecting to see a cargo traffic increase by 50 per cent this year.”
Recently, the Air India has started an international cargo facility from the airport. The first consignment i.e. 550 kg of baby corn was sent to Dubai. Also, Air India is planning to start the transhipment service from Pune Airport to Delhi and from there, it will be sent to Europe, USA, Great Britain and other countries.
Recently, the Pune Airport topped among the 28 airports under the Western Region Headquarters of the Airports Authority of India (AAI) in terms of revenue generation beating Ahmedabad and Goa.
Revenue growth of 160 per cent was recorded in 2017-18 as compared to the previous financial year.
As per the data provided by the Pune Airport, the generated revenue of Rs 146 crore during 2017-18 is 160 per cent higher than the previous financial year. In 2016-17, the airport recorded Rs 56 crore in revenue generation. The airport earned Rs 30 crore in 2015-16 and Rs 28 crore in 2014-15.
An Environmental Status Report (ESR 2017-18) by Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) revealed that the number of air passengers has increased by 10.58 per cent compared to last year.
As per the report, “Air travellers have increased to 10.58 per cent from the previous year i.e., 2016-17. The Pune Airport has seen 22,466 footfalls every day compared to last year’s 17,441.”
“During the year 2017-18, as many as 71,99,855 passengers travelled from Pune Airport, which is around 5 lakh higher than the previous year. Last year, around 65,12,005 passengers travelled from Pune,” the report also read.
