Mumbai: The Union Ministry of Civil Aviation responded to a parliamentary question regarding the development of Baramati Airport – the very site where Maharashtra’s late deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar lost his life in a plane crash just a few weeks ago. The question was submitted to the Rajya Sabha by his wife and the current Maharashtra Dy CM, Sunetra Pawar, during her final days as a member of parliament.
Query Filed Before Fatal Crash
The proceedings of the upper house of the parliament turned poignant with a bitter coincidence of the intersection of policy and personal tragedy when the civil aviation ministry replied to Sunetra Pawar’s inquiry about connecting Baramati Airport under UDAN scheme. The question was supposedly lodged before the airplane crash on January 28, which killed her husband along with four others, which then led to her resignation from the parliament to fill her husband’s vacant position in the state legislature.
Pawar had asked the ministry about the current status of connecting Baramati airport to civil air traffic, plans to develop night landing facilities and proposals to modernise the flying training organisations (FTOs) located in Baramati. The question turned out to be one of her last questions raised in the Rajya Sabha as she took oath as Maharashtra Dy CM on January 31.
State Government’s Response Awaited
Providing a written reply to her questions, civil aviation minister for state Murlidhar Mohol stated that Baramati airstrip is available in the list of unserved airports in the UDAN document for bidding and bids have been received under UDAN 5.2 scheme. He added that the Maharashtra government was requested to provide consent and confirm the availability of land for the airport’s development on February 17, 2024, but the ministry is still awaiting a response.
While the minister said that no proposal for special financial assistance is under consideration for the modernisations of Baramati-based FTOs, he said, “The Ministry is dedicated towards the development of the flying training ecosystem in the country. The Ministry has implemented the ranking framework to improve the quality, safety, and efficiency of pilot training in India, while fostering a performance-driven and transparent training ecosystem and also approved the liberalised FTO Policy for improved operational viability and capacity of FTOs.”
Airport Development Now a Tribute Priority
Political analysts suggest that the development of the Baramati Airport will now likely become a priority for the state government, not just as a matter of regional infrastructure, but as a tribute to the late leader. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is currently conducting a forensic probe into the crash, with a preliminary report expected to examine whether better ground-based navigational infrastructure could have prevented the tragedy.
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