a on the receiving end for scheduling Pune airport closed for 14 days On a short notice ahead of the festive season, the Indian Air Force has clarified that “a complete shutdown of 14 days was inevitable”. In a statement, the AIF also said that the tentative dates of the shutdown were already communicated to the airline authorities and the Airports Authority of India (AAI), but the exact period would be finalized only after obtaining approval from the Union Defense Ministry. can be given. and Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare.
AIF has also said that during the lockdown period, it will ensure airlift of vaccines from Pune to Mumbai airport by deploying its machinery to ensure uninterrupted supply chain of vaccines.
“Resurfacing of the Pune runway was an urgent need to address the issue of rapidly deteriorating condition of the runway and associated operating surfaces at the Air Force Station. The objective is to prevent any damage to the operating aircraft’s engines.” Statement.
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The IAF said it had earlier planned to shut down in April-May 2021, but it was deferred after the MoD asked it to do so to avoid disruption in vaccine supply as two important vaccine manufacturing units are located in Pune.
“In order to create the least possible disturbance in civil aviation for a period of one year from 26 October 2020 to 25 October 2021, the runway at Pune was partially closed for a period of 12 hours daily during the night, In the meantime, the work progressed. A 14-day complete shutdown was planned from 26 April 2021 to 09 May 2021 for the resurfacing of the central bitumen portion of the runway. However, due to the emergent need for the transportation of COVID-19 Vaccine, Ministry of Defense had directed for complete closure of the runway,” it said.
The IAF said the airport would resume its operations on October 30, a few days before Diwali.
“All airline operators, local airport directors and Airports Authority of India CHQ have been informed in advance about the likely period of closure. However, the exact dates for the closure from 16 to 29 October 2021 can be announced only after obtaining requisite approvals from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and the Ministry of Defence. As per the present plan, flight operations will resume from 30 October 2021 before the Diwali festival,” it said.
“During the period of complete closure of the runway, IAF will ensure airlift of vaccines from Pune to Mumbai by deploying suitable IAF assets for the purpose of ensuring uninterrupted supply chain,” the statement said. Is.
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