Pune : The Pune airport will remain closed for 14 days from October 16 as the Indian Air Force (IAF) will be undertaking runway resurfacing work.

All commercial flights operating from the airport will remain suspended from October 16 to 29 due to the closure. The decision was taken after receiving a communication from the IAF.

Very few commercial flights have been operating since last March. The runway carpeting could have been done earlier but closing the airport bang in the middle of peak festive season eludes logic. While it will anyway hurt struggling to survive airlines, the people of Pune will also suffer. They will now have to go to Mumbai for catching flights from there at this busy time of the year.

Pune Airport is a civil enclave operating from the IAF station of Lohegaon, the primary function of which is to train IAF pilots by undertaking sortie operations. Although Pune is in the process of developing its own international airport in Purandar, issues pertaining to land acquisition have delayed the commencement of work.