Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar was laid to rest today after his tragic death in a plane crash. His funeral took place with full state honours. Meanwhile, concerns over Patna Airport’s safety, particularly its short runway, have resurfaced, drawing public attention after a senior journalist’s social media post went viral.
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Ajit Pawar’s Demise and Final Rites
Ajit Pawar, Maharashtra’s Deputy Chief Minister, passed away on January 28, 2026, in a Learjet 45 plane crash near Baramati Airport in Pune district. The aircraft, belonging to VSR Ventures, was attempting to land when the accident occurred. Five people died in the crash, including Mr. Pawar, his personal security officer Videep Jadhav, an assistant, and two pilots, Captain Sumit Kapoor and Captain Shambhavi Pathak.
His funeral was held on January 29, 2026, at the Vidya Pratishthan ground in Baramati. Mr. Pawar received a state funeral with full honours. The Maharashtra government declared a public holiday and a three-day state mourning period in his respect.
Patna Airport’s Safety Concerns Reignite
Following the recent plane crash involving Ajit Pawar, discussions about the safety of Patna Airport (Jai Prakash Narayan International Airport) have intensified on social media. Senior journalist Ajit Anjum shared a picture from inside a flight at Patna Airport, expressing concerns about its safety, which quickly went viral.
The official runway length at Patna Airport is 2,072 meters. However, due to obstructions like the Secretariat’s clock tower and trees at the zoo, the effective landing length is limited to 1,677 meters from the west and 1,938 meters from the east. Aviation experts note that an ideal runway length for large aircraft like Boeing 737s and Airbus A320s should be 2,300 meters, classifying Patna Airport as ‘sensitive’. Regulatory bodies like DGCA have implemented ‘load penalty’ rules for larger planes operating from Patna. Proposals to reduce the height of the Secretariat tower by 17.5 meters and acquire 15 acres from Patna Zoo for runway expansion are currently pending.
