Speculations fly before flights over Amt airport name

Amravati: A controversy has arisen over the naming of the Amravati airport. An invite by a private airline for the airport's inaugural flight on April 16 mentioned the name of the airport as ‘Dr Panjabrao Deshmukh Amravati Airport'. However, later Maharashtra Airport Development Corporation (MADC) objected to this reference, pointing out no official announcement has been made yet.
In an invitation letter dated April 10, 2025 to Amravati MP Balwant Wankhade, Alliance Air chairman Amit Kumar referred to the airport as ‘Dr Panjabrao Deshmukh Amravati Airport'. This appeared to confirm that the Mahayuti govt and MADC have approved the name.
The govt had until now been reserved over conceding the popular demand of naming Amravati airport after Dr Panjabrao alias Bhausaheb Deshmukh, the founder of Shree Shivaji Education Society, and the first agriculture minister of independent India. Ever since the airport got ready for commercial flight operations, citizens had been demanding it be named after Dr Deshmukh, whose rich contribution in agriculture and education sectors of Vidarbha is undeniable. Former guardian minister Dr Sunil Deshmukh had taken the initiative in this direction.
However, later on Sunday, the MADC objected to the reference made to the name of Dr Panjabrao Deshmukh in the letter of Alliance Air, since no official announcement has yet been made. MADC has also sent a mail to Alliance Air in this regard.
Though the state govt, or for that matter, the MADC has not made any announcement to this effect yet, it is gathered that the official announcement will be made by chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on April 16.