29.4.17

NaMu Airport opening pushed back


Mumbaikars' wait for a second airport just got longer. The Centre said the Navi Mumbai airport may get operational by 2020, a year later than earlier envisaged. Hitherto, the government was aiming for the first flight from the airport to take off by 2019-end.

Union minister of state for civil aviation Jayant Sinha said the first phase of this project -a runway and terminal building -is likely to be ready by 2020. “There are several issues, including the fact that the area where the airport will come up is marshy . It will take significant amount of time to resolve the issues. We also need to accelerate and expedite the process as much as possible,“ said Sinha, who did an aerial survey of the Navi Mumbai airport site last week.

After a long wait, the Union ministry of environment and forests had on April 21 granted the crucial stage II forest clearance for the airport, paving the way all the work on the ground such as cutting and levelling of Ulwe hill and changing the course of the river.

GVK-led Mumbai International Airport Ltd has won the construction contract by offering 12.6% in revenue to the project implementing authority , Cidco of Maharashtra.

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