Latest update on airport
Airports are important magnets of growth. The area in which it is set up begins to attract additional infrastructural developments, businesses, residential structures. Collectively, this makes the area a much sought after destination for real estate developers.
The current international airport at Mumbai will soon reach saturation point. Mindful of this, the government identified land in Navi Mumbai to set up Mumbai's second international airport. The Steering Committee, which was set up as per the new greenfield airport policy, recently gave "In Principle" approval for setting up the Navi Mumbai International airport.
As per the current schedule, the first phase of the Navi Mumbai airport can become operational by 2014. But Chief Minister Ashok Chavan, while chairing a review meeting recently, asked government officials to speed up the work of regeneration of mangroves and resettlement of 3,000 families, so that the much awaited airport will be a reality by December 31, 2013 instead of 2014.
While granting the environmental clearance, Union Ministry of Environment & Forests has directed to neutralize the impact of loss of mangroves by regenerating them. CIDCO (City and Industrial Development Corporation) will regenerate the mangroves on 300 acres of land, which is double the size of the existing 150 acres covered by the mangroves. For the task, the CIDCO has appointed M/S. Lewis Environmental Services Inc, a USA based firm as expert review consultant, said a senior official.
The total land earmarked for the project is 2053 hectares, of which 1153 hectares is in possession of CIDCO. About 443 hectares which was with the State Government, has been transferred to CIDCO. The remaining 457 hectares is private land and officials are negotiating a deal with the owners.
...... Ashky
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