The mortal remains of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and NCP leader Ajit Pawar merged into the five elements in Baramati today. He was given a final farewell with full state honours. After this tragic plane crash, the discussion on the security of other airports in the country has intensified. People are especially expressing their concern on social media regarding the short runway of Patna Airport.
Information about Ajit Pawar plane crash and funeral
Ajit Pawar died in a charter plane crash near Baramati Airport in Pune on 28 January 2026. The plane was going from Mumbai to Baramati and met with an accident during landing. The main details of the accident are given below
Aircraft Type: VSR Ventures’ Learjet 45 (registration VT-SSK)
Death toll: A total of 5 people including Ajit Pawar lost their lives in the accident.
Funeral: Held on 29 January 2026 at Vidya Pratisthan ground in Baramati
State mourning: Maharashtra government has declared three days of state mourning in the state.
Why are questions being raised on the security and runway of Patna Airport?
After a social media post by journalist Ajit Anjum, a debate has erupted regarding the security of Patna’s Jai Prakash Narayan International Airport. Patna Airport’s runway is considered technically sensitive as its effective length is short for large aircraft.
Details Data/Information Total runway length 2,072 m Effective landing length 1,677 m (West) / 1,938 m (East) Ideal length requirement 2,300 m (for larger aircraft) Obstacles Secretariat clock tower and zoo trees
DGCA has implemented load penalty rules for large aircraft in Patna for safety reasons. The proposal to reduce the height of the Secretariat tower and acquire land for runway expansion is still pending. After Ajit Pawar’s accident, people are now calling Patna Airport unsafe and demanding its expansion.