Pune: PMRDA officials told TOI on Wednesday that funds for the Rs636.84 crore road connectivity project for the proposed Chhatrapati Sambhaji Raje International Airport at Purandar had already been sanctioned in last year’s budget and no separate budgetary allocation was made for the same this financial year.“If any additional requirement arises or work needs to be expedited, funds will be made available from roads budget head,” a Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA) official said. PMRDA recently conducted its budget meeting on Monday. The project for Purandar road connectivity, which received administrative sanction early last year involves upgrading and improving key road corridors linking the airport site to Pune and adjoining regions, covering a total of 61km.“We are yet to implement it as the land acquisition was pending,” said another official.Given the airport’s location at a distance from Pune city, officials said that strong road connectivity will be vital for its functionality and long-term success. Efficient access routes are expected to facilitate smooth passenger movement, enable faster cargo transport, and ensure integration with existing highway networks.Urban planners noted that without such upgrades, last-mile connectivity could emerge as a bottleneck, affecting airline operations and passenger convenience. “Who will head to Purandar, if such facilities are not in place. Not just roads, but special dedicated services of Metro should be in place,”added an urban planner.The proposed road improvements are designed to connect the airport to multiple growth corridors, including Kondhwa, Saswad, Uruli Kanchan and Khed Shivapur, thereby dispersing traffic and reducing dependence on a single approach route.The network will also improve access to key state highways, strengthening regional connectivity towards Solapur, Satara and other parts of Maharashtra. Beyond airport operations, the improved connectivity is expected to spur logistics, warehousing and real estate activity in the Purandar region, said a PMRDA official.At present, the project is in its initial stages, with land acquisition proposals being prepared. Officials said timely execution of both funding and land acquisition processes will be key to aligning the roadworks with the airport’s development timeline.
