President inaugurates Shirdi airport


Team Udayavani, Oct 1, 2017, 12:39 PM IST

Shirdi (Maha):  President Ram Nath Kovind today inaugurated the newly-built airport at Shirdi in Maharashtra’s Ahmednagar district. Airport sources said the president’s aircraft touched down from New Delhi at the Shirdi airport at 10.30 am.

Kovind dedicated the Shirdi airport to the people. Commercial flight operations are scheduled to commence later today with a flight to Mumbai being operated by Alliance Air, the sources said.

The airport secured the aerodrome licence from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) for commercial operations last month. Located at 238 km from Mumbai, the country’s financial hub, Shirdi has the famous shrine of Sai Baba and is one of the prominent pilgrimage centres in the country.

According to an estimate, about 60,000 pilgrims visit Shirdi everyday, out of which the airport authorities plan to tap at least 10-12 per cent. This is the centenary year of the death of Sai Baba.

The aerodrome is owned and developed by Maharashtra Airport Development Company (MADC), a special purpose vehicle (SPV) to develop airports in the state. The trials of flights from the airport had been conducted recently.

Constructed at an investment of around Rs 350 crore, including Rs 50 crore from the Shri Saibaba Sansthan Trust, the airport, with a 2,500 m-long runway, is capable of handling single narrow-body aircraft, such as Airbus A320 and Boeing 737s.

The 2,750 sqm terminal building has been designed to handle a total of 300 passengers, including the arriving ones. Once the new airport operations start, the travel time to Shirdi from Mumbai is expected to reduce to 40 minutes as against five hours by road at present.

Udayavani is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel and stay updated with the latest news.

Top News

Nagaland: Congress returns to spotlight after two decades, civic polls held after 20 years

Uttar Pradesh: Vehicle rams into ambulance carrying bodies of suspected Khalistani terrorists

Case filed in Pilibhit over Pannun threatening violence at Maha Kumbh

Vajpayee architect of India’s transition into 21st century: PM Modi

‘Basappa’ the bull embarks on pilgrimage to Sabarimala!

Belekeri Mining Case: High Court stays sentence against Congress MLA Satish Sail

Mangaluru: Christmas celebrations spread joy across coastal Karnataka

Related Articles More

Rewind 2024: Mutual fund industry on a high; asset surges Rs 17 lakh crore this year

Epigamia founder Rohan Mirchandani dies of cardiac arrest at age 42

Lohia Auto launches EV brand ‘Youdha’, aims to sell 3 lakh vehicles by 2027

“FM ji FM ji, itna tax main kaise bharun”, asks investor Vijay Kedia in viral post

RBI: After another status quo year, all eyes on a growth-propping rate cut with new Guv at helm

MUST WATCH

Tulunadu Daivaradane

Feeding Birds with Creative Paddy Art!

Areca Nut

HOTEL SRI DURGA BHAVANA

Harish Poonja


Latest Additions

Nagaland: Congress returns to spotlight after two decades, civic polls held after 20 years

Uttar Pradesh: Vehicle rams into ambulance carrying bodies of suspected Khalistani terrorists

Case filed in Pilibhit over Pannun threatening violence at Maha Kumbh

Vajpayee architect of India’s transition into 21st century: PM Modi

‘Basappa’ the bull embarks on pilgrimage to Sabarimala!

Thanks for visiting Udayavani

You seem to have an Ad Blocker on.
To continue reading, please turn it off or whitelist Udayavani.