Pune's Dream Airport Is Closer Than You Think: 75% Land Done, Tenders Could Drop By Year-End | Here's What's Next

Last Updated:June 23, 2026, 15:42 IST

Purandar's Chhatrapati Sambhaji Raje International Airport: The detailed project report (DPR) is expected to be ready by September 2026.

Pune’s long-awaited Chhatrapati Sambhaji Raje International Airport at Purandar is showing tangible signs of momentum. Land acquisition has crossed the 75% mark, senior-level talks have begun to secure the last patch of defence-controlled land needed for the existing Pune airport’s expansion, and the detailed project report (DPR) is expected to be ready by September 2026.

According to X handle @TheINIofficial, 2,280 acres — 75% of the 3,040 acres required in the first phase — have already been acquired. Many more landowners are willing to give consent, but legal and administrative hurdles have been slowing the process.

What Is Being Done To Clear The Bottleneck?

To break the logjam, Pune District Collector Jitendra Dudi held a special grievance drive at the Saswad sub-divisional office (SDO) on Monday, June 22, where hundreds of villagers from seven affected villages — including Kumbharvalan, Vanpuri, Khanawadi and Pargaon — gathered to raise concerns.

Issues flagged included land ownership disputes, succession entries, NOC requirements, rehabilitation terms and compensation delays, according to Hindustan Times.

Dudi announced he will personally visit the Purandar SDO every Monday going forward. “Instead of farmers visiting multiple offices, all concerned officials will be available at one place. We want transparency, speedy decisions and confidence among the affected villagers," HT quoted him as telling villagers.

What Are Farmers Saying?

The mood among farmers is broadly cooperative, but frustration over procedural delays runs deep. Kamlakar Kamthe from Kumbharvalan was quoted by the national daily as saying that his family’s compensation has been held up because some of his sisters — who had sold their shares years ago — are now being asked for NOCs, and tracing them and their documents has proved difficult.

Farmer Pandurang Memane from Pargaon raised a sharper concern: private agents are allegedly approaching villagers and charging commissions of 5 to 7% to speed up documentation. “Land is not just property for farmers; it is their livelihood. The administration should ensure that farmers get direct assistance instead of depending on middlemen," he was quoted by HT.

What About The Existing Pune Airport’s Expansion?

Separately, efforts are also underway to expand the existing Pune airport. As reported by Esakal, the expansion requires 300 acres in total — of which 260 acres belong to private owners or other state departments, and the remaining 40 acres fall under defence control.

Senior-level discussions with the Ministry of Defence have now begun to secure this land, with Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol personally following up on the matter.

The expansion plan includes runway extension, a dedicated general aviation terminal for private helicopters and charter flights, a maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facility — the first for Pune airport — and additional parking and remote bays.

What Does The Purandar Airport Look Like On Paper?

When complete, the Chhatrapati Sambhaji Raje International Airport will have two parallel runways of 4,000×60 metres and a capacity of 75 million passengers per annum (MPPA), per @TheINIofficial. With the DPR on track for September 2026, tenders could be floated shortly after approval, depending on how quickly the remaining land issues are resolved.

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