Shiv Sena MLA blames party colleague for airport fiasco

Shiv Sena minister Vijay Shivtare on Friday blamed his colleague Shivaji Adhalaro Patil for the shifting of a proposed airport from Khed to Purandar tehsil in Pune.

Mr Shivtare, the water resources minister, said Mr Patil had made a “political mistake” by opposing the airport in Khed.

On the other hand, Mr Patil said that he had neither opposed, nor forced the Airport Authority of India to shift the site.

Meanwhile, NCP leader Ajit Pawar too criticised Mr Patil and termed him an “anti-development MP.”

The state had proposed a new international greenfield airport in Khed in 2009 to reduce air traffic congestion over Lohgaon airport in Pune, which is owned by the Indian Air Force.

Mr Patil said, “Over the course of a few weeks there has been unwarranted speculation, hearsay and falsehood being propagated with regards to the proposed site for the new Pune airport. It has been reported that I was responsible for this airport being shifted from Khed to Purandar.

“I find it amusing that seasoned politicians such as Pawar are holding me responsible for the airport being moved from Khed. It is highly immature on his part to make such claims when he being the guardian minister of this region for 10 years didn’t take any initiative in getting this project off the ground,” he said.