Govt approves second airport for Mumbai

Mumbai is likely to get second airport on its decided schedule as Union Civil Aviation Ministry, Environment Ministry and state government have cleared the proposal of setting up the a Greenfield project through public-private partnership (PPP) as per state official reported.

The new airport is schedule to develop at Panvel in Raigad district in Navi Mumbai and likely to begin the operation by 2012.

Earlier, the ministry of environment has opposed this proposal till the month of March and ordered to shift the place of establishing airport from the scheduled location to other but Union Civil Ministry has declined to shift the location.

On its objection over establishing second airport in one city, Environmental Ministry argued that it was the violation of Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) that prohibits any sort of construction within coastal region and a portion of decided land of Navi Mumbai airport comes under it.

The 150-hectares out of proposed 2000-hectares of land comes in the CRZ-I (Economically very sensitive) zone and Mangrove covered area where airfield activities are not allowed. The rest of land comes under City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO) of Maharashtra.

But, after the refusal of Civil Aviation Ministry and clearance of all hurdles, State government has announced yesterday to develop the first green-field airport in the state.

“There was some talk of shifting to an alternative location but now they have given us in-principle clearance. The airport should be ready by 2012,” said Vilasrao Deshmukh, the Chief Minister of Maharashtra on Friday.

While an official source from CIDCO informed that the central government has framed a new draft notification to permit the construction in this zone and it would be open for 60 days for asking suggestions and objections. In the case of many objections, the draft could be revoked, as per sources cited.

‘But, most probably the government has considered such an option also suggests that the chances of getting a final nod are strong,’ source added.

The aviation ministry is firm to acquire the green signal for Navi Mumbai airport as it predicts that the passenger traffic is growing at an average of 25% year per year and it would be saturated in four to five years. In 2007-08, more than 20 million passengers had used Mumbai airport while the figure is likely to go to 37 million by 2010.

There is no chance of expanding the existing airport as it is surrounded from all sides by slums and cannot afford a parallel runway due to lack of space. That’s why Mumbai critically needs an additional airport to absorb the surging traffic growth.