Navi Mumbai airport project may take off, finally
10 Nov 2010
The Navi Mumbai airport is likely to get final clearance with the experts appraisal committee (EAC) appointed by the ministry of environment and forests giving "conditional" approval to a revised proposal submitted by the project developer City and Industrial Development Corporation (Cidco).
The EAC, however, is reported to have pulled up Cidco for not properly assessing the environmental impact of the proposed airport at Navi Mumbai.
Cidco had presented five alternative designs for the proposed airport at Navi Mumbai while the ministries of civil aviation and environment had indicated that clearance for the site would come after the EAC recommendation.
EAC has also expressed disappointment over lack of a detailed traffic management plan in the project being prepared by Cidco. The panel emphasised the need for mass transport facility and suburban/metro train in particular.
EAC also wanted Cidco to spell out measures to prevent encroachments in airport land.
While the airport site would not be changed, Cidco has agreed to shift location of non-aeronautical facilities like shops, hotels etc out of the coastal zone.
