Decision on Navi Mumbai airport likely by next month

Signaling a possible truce between the Civil Aviation and Union Environment ministries over the second Mumbai airport issue, the ministers in-charge of these two portfolios on Tuesday said a final decision on the matter is likely in November.

Civil Aviation minister Praful Patel closeted with Union Environment minister Jairam Ramesh in a crucial meeting here to tide over the impasse over the Navi Mumbai airport.

Addressing a joint press conference after the meeting, they said a positive decision was expected soon.

“We are making good progress and I must say the Maharashtra government and Civil Aviation ministry are very sensitive to the issue,” Ramesh said.

He informed that the expert committee on environment and forest will meet on November 9 and 10 to have a final look into the compromises being worked out.

“Both sides showed flexibilities and compromises are being worked out and then, we will take a call,” he said.

“He is praful (delighted) and I am hopeful,” Ramesh added in a jocular vein.

Patel, expressing satisfaction at the talks, said, “I am happy we had a constructive meeting with today and a lot of progress was made.”

Stressing that issues of environment were important to his ministry also, he said substantial progress has been made in the discussions because both the sides are proactive.

“I am sure that a final view will be taken at the expert committee of environment meeting,” Patel added.

The environment ministry had been opposing the project pointing that building an airport at that location will involve diversion of two rivers, destruction of 400-acres of mangroves and blasting of a hill that is 80 metres above sea level.

But the demand for a second airport has been mounting as the lone airport is hard-pressed to meet the requirements.

A second airport in the city will increase the passenger capacity between the two airports to 90-100 million against the 25 million handled by one airport currently.