Political stunt: Aaditya Thackeray on trial landing at Navi Mumbai airport runway

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray accused the Eknath Shinde-led Mahayuti government of pulling a “political stunt” by conducting a trial landing of an Air Force aircraft at the upcoming Navi Mumbai International Airport.
According to Aaditya Thackeray, the C295 aircraft of the Indian Air Force can land on short and unpaved runways, alleging that the airport terminal is not ready for commercial use yet and the government was rushing with the trial in view of the upcoming Maharashtra election.
“Why is the Air Force being made to spend their time on political stunts? Today, the Chief Minister has pulled a stunt in Navi Mumbai by landing Air Force C295 on runway,” said Thackeray.
“So is the airport terminal ready? If it’s ready, then integrate it. Don’t do such stunts,” he added.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and his deputy Devendra Fadnavis during inauguration of the Navi Mumbai Airport runway, in Mumbai, Friday, October 11. (PTI Photo)

Earlier in the day, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde witnessed the trial landing of the IAF aircraft at the upcoming Navi Mumbai International Airport at Ulwe, being developed by the Adani Group, in adjoining Raigad district. Shinde said his government was making efforts to start commercial operations from the airport ahead of the stated deadline of March 31 next year.
“Today, an Indian Air Force C295 aircraft made a successful test landing at the runway at the Navi Mumbai International Airport. We are ready for both flight and fight,” Shinde said in an apparent reference to the state assembly elections.
The Chief Minister said the greenfield Navi Mumbai airport will be a high-capacity one and feature among one of the big aviation facilities in the country.
Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis also said, “Today, the landing was done on a safe runway. When the airport work started, the opposition leaders were asking a lot of questions. They said that such announcements are made a lot, there will be no airport. But today, there was a safe landing and commercial flights will start soon.”