Environment ministry clears Navi Mumbai airport project
22 Nov 2010
The union ministry of environment and forest has granted final clearance to the Navi Mumbai airport proposal, paving the way for a second airport coming up in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region.
The environment ministry's green light comes after the project promoter, the City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO) of Maharashta, agreed to redesign the project under a compromise formula, to ensure minimum environmental damage.
Under the revised plan, CIDCO will shift all non-essential airport facilities and develop 245 hectares of good quality mangrove park.
The distance between the runways would also be reduced from 1,800 metres proposed earlier to 1,555 meters, averting the need to divert the Gadhi River.
CIDCO will also develop a new 60 hectare mangrove park towards the Moha and Panvel creek area.
Additionally, CIDCO has agreed to keep a 310 hectare area on the northeast of the airport site between the Gadhi River, Mankhurd-Panvel rail corridor and NH-4B as a "no development" zone where the agency will undertake the development as mangrove park or green area. CIDCO will realign development plans accordingly.
