Dinesh Kamath's news item 'Aviation experts suggest shifting of airport project from Navi Mumbai to Kalyan' that was published in Newsband

Aviation experts suggest shifting of airport project from Navi Mumbai to Kalyan

By Dinesh Kamath

THANE: Is the proposed international airport at Navi Mumbai viable? The CIDCO officials are not being able to please the project affected persons (PAPs) who it appears are not happy about what CIDCO is offering them in return for their lands. The delay in pleasing the PAPs has made the cost of the project Rs 14,500 crore.

The new cost estimate is 305 per cent increase as compared to the earlier projected cost of Rs 4,766 crore. If the PAPs were offered what they demanded in the first place itself it would have cost CIDCO less.

Environmental groups are also causing problems. They are totally against the merciless chopping down of mangroves and reclaiming of marshy plots. Next, the project affected persons (PAPs) are demanding too much.

Aviaton expert are of the opinion that the proposed airport should be shifted at Nevali located at Kalyan-Ambernath, 50km from Mumbai, as more than 1,800 acres of defence ministry land is available here. This huge vacant stretch is found to be air-worthy too. The British used to use Nevali as the air base particularly during World War II. In fact, a concrete runway, used for take-offs and landing of war planes by the British and its allies exists at the Nevali.

If the state government finds the area too less then they can acquire another 2,000 acres from the neighbouring Kalyan and Ambernath tehsils, and construct a swank international airport here on over 3,000-4,000 acre plot. At present this area which is a green land belonging to nobody are used as a grazing spot for the village cattle and as cricket ground for small children. There is mountain around this site and road connectivity to Navi Mumbai or Panvel is just about 25km to 30km. Kalyan railway station is 12km from Nevali.

Another problem is that the Navi Mumbai site is a highly eco-sensitive plot. There are mangroves, rivers, sanctuary in addition to the fact that a big part of the land needed is occupied by PAPs. If an international airport has to be constructed in Navi Mumbai, then the state government will have to indulge in environmental vandalism which will not be allowed by environmental experts.