Central Govt. to clear international airport for Navi Mumbai soon
08 Mar 2007
Mumbai: The proposed international airport at Navi Mumbai is likely to receive final clearance from the central government in a month's time, whereupon land acquisition process by the Maharashtra State government will start. A senior State government official indicated this here
Sanjay Ubale, secretary (special projects), who was speaking on the sidelines of a seminar organized by citizens' initiative Mumbai First, said that the State had sent a proposal to the civil aviation ministry and expected to receive its approval in a month's time, whereupon moves to acquire privately owned land to build the airport would begin.
According to Ubale, of the 2,058 hectares of land required for the project, around 90 per cent was already in possession of various state government agencies as well as the City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO). He said that the balance 200 hectares, would be acquired as soon as the Centre notified that the acquisition was meant for a public purpose.
According to industry estimates, Mumbai is expected to handle around nine crore passengers annually by 2030. Existing international and domestic terminals at Sahar and Santacruz would be able to handle only around four crore of these numbers, while the proposed airport at Navi Mumbai is expected to handle the remaining burden.
Ubale said that the State would favour formation of a special purpose vehicle (SPV) to develop the Navi Mumbai airport in which private parties are expected to hold a 74 per cent stake, while the State government and the Airports Authority of India (AAI) would hold 13 per cent each.
The construction of the Navi Mumbai airport is estimated to cost of Rs9,000 crore.
