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Nashik MP Pushes for Airport Expansion Ahead of Simhastha Kumbh Mela

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

Rajabhau Waje, the MP from Nashik, recently met with Union aviation minister Ram Mohan Naidu to discuss the need for significant developments at Nashik airport. The area is expected to see a massive influx of devotees during the upcoming Simhastha Kumbh Mela in 2026-2028. Waje submitted a memorandum requesting the installation of an immigration checkpoint and a major airport expansion to accommodate the expected increase in passenger traffic. The proposed expansion includes the construction of a new terminal building with seating for 1,000 passengers, development of new taxiways, and an increase in the number of aircraft parking bays.

Key Takeaways:

  • MP Rajabhau Waje met with Union aviation minister Ram Mohan Naidu to push for airport expansion ahead of the Simhastha Kumbh Mela in 2026-2028.
  • The proposed airport expansion includes the construction of a new terminal building with seating for 1,000 passengers.
  • Waje requested the installation of an immigration checkpoint and separate helipads at the airport, in Nashik city, and in Trimbakeshwar to manage the massive crowd.
  • The MP proposed that the airport be named after Yashwantrao Chavan, Maharashtra's first chief minister.
  • Waje also requested expanded air connectivity to Nashik airport, including new routes to major cities like Kolkata, Varanasi, and Chennai.
  • The current terminal can only accommodate 300 passengers at a time, and a proposal for its upgrade has been submitted by HAL to the state government, but a decision is still pending.
  • The airport was developed between 2013 and 2014 at a cost of Rs 94 crore.

Statistics:

  • Expected passenger traffic at Nashik airport during the Kumbh Mela: 1,000 passengers per hour.
  • Current terminal capacity at Nashik airport: 300 passengers at a time.
  • Proposed seating capacity of the new terminal building: 1,000 passengers.
  • Total cost of developing the Nashik airport: Rs 94 crore.

Sources:

  • "Nashik MP pushes for airport expansion ahead of Kumbh Mela" (Times of India)
  • "Rajabhau Waje meets Union Minister Ram Mohan Naidu" (The Asian Age)

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