Exclusive Waiting Lounge For Defense Personnel At Pune Airport

Sushant Ranjan

Pune, 23 December,2020: Pune is a very important centre of the country’s defence forces having several critical establishments like Sothern Command, NDA, Sukhoi fighter base etc. Hence, there is a significant movement of Defence Forces officers and other staff from Pune and surrounding districts traveling by flights from Pune’s Civil Airport to the front and other parts of the country. These officers, at times, have to travel at very short notice, even foregoing their leave while responding to the national call of duty. There is a need for an exclusive waiting lounge at the Pune airport for these Bravehearts, who, away from their families, serve in the most adverse conditions and at times, sacrifice their lives for keeping us safe.

Keeping in line with respect and pride, Prime Minister and the whole nation has been displaying in honoring our defence personnel and acknowledging their service and sacrifices for the nation, providing an exclusive waiting lounge for ensuring their travel with comfort and dignity is the least that can be done for them at the airports. While the forces, on their own, will never ever ask for such facilities, understanding and taking care of such needs is the duty of civil society. Such gestures will show how genuinely the people, care and respect them and hold them in high regard. It will also boost their morale.

On this issue, Aviation Expert Dhairyashil Vandekar has been pursuing this public demand for few years but no positive response was received from AAI who are spending close to Rs 1000 crores on the expansion etc. of the Pune Airport.

On taking up this issue with city MP and Chairman, Pune Airport’s Advisory Committee Girish Bapat, has immediately responded by advising Airport Director, AAI, Pune Airport vide his letter dated December 8, 2020 to take necessary steps to arrange for a waiting lounge at Pune Airport for officers and other staff of Defence forces.

This letter to AAI from MP Girish Bapat is representing the national sentiments and aspirations of the people of Pune for defence forces and AAI Headquarters without giving any further excuses must immediately honour these instructions and ensure an exclusive lounge is provisioned for our Bravehearts in the new terminal block under construction.

“I thank MP Bapat for his prompt action. This nationalistic gesture of his has set an exemplary example for public representatives at other such airports giving a clear message that looking after our forces is the true hallmark of a responsible and strong nation like India. In all probability, with this Defence Lounge, Pune airport will be the first AAI airport in the country to have such a commendable facility,” said Vandekar.