Shirdi:The Shirdi Airport is likely to be inaugurated in October this year for which Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis will soon invite Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Maharashtra Airport Development Authority Managing Director Vishvas Patil said.

Patil visited Shirdi yesterday to supervise the progress of work at the airport, which is in its final stage and also held a meeting with the concerned officials.

“The process of getting permission from various departments is in the final stage. It was discussed in a meeting where our Chief Minister said he will send an invite to the Prime Minister for the inauguration,” Patil told reporters last evening.

He said the tower for Air Traffic Control (ATC) has been installed and work of the terminal building has reached up to 250 metres and will be completed by October till a height of around 1,000 metres.

A modern machinery will be set up for security set-up, Patil said, adding that X-ray machine has been installed, while a special fire tender machinery will be imported from Australia.

“So far, Rs 225 crore have been spent and works worth Rs 100 crores are still pending. The airport is being set up on 900 acre land having run way of 2,500 metres, which is likely to be extended by 3,200 metres. Other works like parking bay, taxi-bay, lighting are completed. Functioning of Shirdi airport will soon begin,” Patil said.

He said many devotees from countries like UK, Singapore, and Dubai enquire about the air services to visit the shrine of Saibaba and they can now reach here via flights from Mumbai and Delhi airports.

PTI