With elections to 29 municipal corporations in Maharashtra scheduled for January 15, a significant surge in demand for helicopter services has been observed. Political parties are scrambling to book choppers to ensure maximum comfort and efficiency for their star campaigners as they plan hectic itineraries across multiple cities.
Aviation Firms See Unprecedented Demand
Representatives from aviation companies have confirmed that nearly 12 helicopters have been booked so far for the upcoming civic polls. Ishwarchandra Gulgule, managing director of Kaigu Aviation Private Limited, revealed that two to three choppers are already airborne, ferrying politicians. He noted that this trend was also seen during the recent municipal council elections.
Gulgule highlighted a key difference in usage patterns: while choppers fly for about 45 days during Lok Sabha or state assembly elections, this number reduces to roughly 10 days for local body polls. The hiring cost is charged on a per-hour basis and varies depending on whether the aircraft is a single-engine or a more powerful twin-engine model.
Rising Costs Fail to Deter Bookings
Despite an increase in aviation fuel prices, the demand for helicopters remains robust. The current rental cost for a twin-engine helicopter ranges between ₹4 lakh and ₹8 lakh per hour. For a single-engine chopper, the cost falls between ₹1.7 lakh and ₹3 lakh per hour. Collectively, Pune and Mumbai have a fleet of around 12 helicopters catering to this demand.
An industry representative expressed surprise at the high demand for civic polls, speculating that since these elections are being held after a nine-year gap, the competition is intense. He predicted that bookings will increase significantly after December 31 and peak between January 1 and 13, once seat-sharing formulas between alliance partners are finalized.
Infrastructure Boom and Key Users
The increased political activity has spurred infrastructure development. The number of helipads in Pune has jumped from five last year to 15 at present, indicating a mini-boom for the aviation support industry. Gulgule pointed out that during the municipal council polls, one political party alone booked five helicopters.
Prominent leaders such as Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy CM Ajit Pawar, and ministers Chandrashekhar Bawankule and Pankaja Munde are among those actively using choppers for campaign travel. This mode of transport allows them to cover multiple distant locations swiftly in a single day.
Pune airport officials have also noted a rise in non-scheduled flight operations, which include charter aircraft and helicopters, averaging about 12 movements daily. Looking ahead, there are plans to develop better facilities. Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol stated earlier this year that the Hadapsar Gliding Centre will be converted into a heliport. Furthermore, with 300 acres identified for the extension of Pune airport's runway, plans are in the pipeline to establish a proper facility dedicated to non-scheduled operations.
