04 February,2010 10:18 AM IST | | Chandran Iyer
IAF feels additional congestion on air and land could affect its response time during emergencies
The Airports Authority of India (AAI) needs space to expand the Lohegaon Airport to cope with the increasing passenger traffic to Pune. However, the Indian Air Force (IAF), which has allowed the civil airport to operate in its airbase, is reluctant to give a green signal to the move. The IAF feels changes like adding parking spaces for aircraft, lengthening the runway, and providing increased amenities could affect the response time of the frontline fighter aircraft like Sukhois parked at the Air Force base during an emergency.
AAI Director Deepak Shastri admittedu00a0 there wereu00a0 differences. "Civil aviation is growing in a big way, and airlines are increasing their fleets. The IAF is also upgrading its fleet. Often, the priorities of the twou00a0 clash.
Moreover, the IAF feels congestion in the air as well as land at the airport could affect their response time during an emergency. They recommend that we speed up the construction of the proposed international airport at Chakan," Shastri said.
