State Pushes To Scale Up Airside Safety & Operational Capabilities Worth ₹6.60 Crore At Shirdi Airport

The Maharashtra Airport Development Company Ltd. (MADC) has issued a call for bids to undertake significant airside infrastructure enhancements at Shirdi Airport. With an estimated cost of Rs 6.60 crore, this project aims to bolster safety standards and optimize operations amid rising pilgrim traffic at the regional airport. The upgrades are designed to bridge structural gaps in the airfield and bolster emergency response capabilities.

Key components of the expansion include constructing an isolation bay road, which is essential for isolating aircraft during security threats, as well as a taxiway link road that allows ground support and emergency vehicles to access airside areas without interfering with active runways. The tender also covers the installation of crash fire rescue roads for emergency response vehicles and the establishment of cooling pit and fire pit roads for specialized training and maintenance.

Additional works identified in the bid include clearing and grubbing operations to remove surface vegetation and underground roots, ensuring a clean and safe environment for aviation activities. The project timeline is set at five months, with the selected contractor obligated to provide a two-year defect liability period post-execution.

Enhancements to airfield security and emergency response are a primary focus of the upgrades. The addition of perimeter watch towers and dedicated crash fire rescue roads is expected to facilitate rapid response times for emergency vehicles in the event of an aviation incident. The airport's ongoing operations necessitate strict working schedules aligned with daily flight arrivals and departures.

Bidders are required to adhere to Bureau of Civil Aviation Security and International Civil Aviation Organization standards, arranging temporary runway lighting and implementing site safety measures.

MADC is also developing a 100-key luxury hotel near Shirdi International Airport to cater to the growing passenger needs, including pilgrims. A tender has been issued to lease a 3.7-acre plot adjacent to the airport for the hotel's development, with a strict requirement to operationalize the hotel within four years.