PMRDA doubles up 128 km ring road as an airstrip

In a recent decision, Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA) has doubled up the 128-km ring road as an auxiliary airstrip, Commissioner, Kiran Gitte said, adding that the proposal to develop airstrips on the ring road is all set to get clearance whereby three sites on the road would be considered for airstrips. With the government encouraging availability of new built highways as auxiliary airfields, the ring road, too, could be designed accordingly. The ministry of road transport and highways is working on collaborating with the ministry of defence for the ambitious project and that the spots for the airstrips would be decided after completing 80% of the land acquisition for the road project. PMRDA would fund the airstrips since they would be on the ring road where the traffic would halt on the road before a plane takes off or lands. According to NHAI sources, proposals have been put up to develop highway stretches that can double up as airstrips and that a committee has already planned for construction of such highways in Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and also in states across Northeast.