Pune: The Nashik district administration’s decision to charge people — Rs 200 to Rs 800 — to watch the Indian Air Force‘s famed Suryakiran Aerobatic Team perform over the Gangapur dam site on Jan 22 and 23 has invited criticism from serving and retired IAF officers who say the move defeats the very purpose of the display. The show, happening for the first time in Nashik, has traditionally been open to the public free of cost across cities every year. “The objective of the Suryakiran display is to inspire the youth to pursue a career in the armed forces and to showcase the high level of skill and professionalism of IAF to the general public,” a senior IAF officer from New Delhi told TOI. “Charging people to watch the show is shocking and new to us. We will take up the issue with the ministry of defence.”However, Nashik district collector Ayush Prasad defended the decision, saying the move was aimed at crowd management and safety.“The money collected will be handed over to the Maharashtra Sainik Welfare Department. This decision was taken keeping public safety in mind,” he said, referring to fatalities reported during a similar air show held in Chennai last year. “We do not want a repeat of such incidents here.”IAF officers contested this rationale, pointing out that the Chennai deaths were largely attributed to heat strokes rather than crowding. They also argued that restricting viewing through paid enclosures was unnecessary for an aerial display.“The administration could have allowed multiple viewing points. An aerobatic show can be watched from several km away. In Bengaluru, during Aero India, people watch flying displays from outside the Yelahanka Air Force Station, and there have never been crowd management issues,” an IAF officer said.Expressing disappointment, local residents too have questioned the decision. Samrat Jadhav from Gangapur Road wants to know whether the govt would charge pilgrims coming to Kumbh Mela a fee.“If it is for the soldier welfare fund, we are ready to contribute. But we do not buy the argument of ‘taxing’ for crowd management. We will have an exponentially higher number of people around Ram Kund in Nashik city and Kushawart Teerth in Trimbakeshwar during Kumbh Mela. The ‘taxing’ for crowd management is a good idea to be deployed there,” he said.Advika Patil, a college student, said it is surprising that tickets are being charged at a time when govt is looking to raise awareness among the masses of the defence forces.Ankush Chavan, public relations officer (defence), Pune, told TOI: “The district administration told us that they were charging for crowd management. We don’t have any role in it as IAF never charges for the show.”There is nothing wrong in the administration’s move, said Aakanksha Kulkarni, a local resident. “If seating arrangements are being made and water is being provided, it is good. Why should it always be free? A token amount is welcome and is less than a movie ticket. Private properties won’t allow people in. All those who can manage will definitely stand on the roads and watch the show free of cost,” she said.Interestingly, private hotels and restaurants in the vicinity of the dam have kept the ticket prices in the range of Rs 300 to Rs 3,000, even though the aerobatic display is scheduled to last not more than 30 minutes.(With inputs from Abhilash Botekar)
