Navi Mumbai airport gets green clearance

Cidco hopes to commission first phase of the project by December of 2019

The Union ministry of environment and forests (MoEF) on Tuesday gave the crucial Stage-II forest and wildlife clearance to the Navi Mumbai International Airport project. With this, the City and Industrial Development Corporation of Maharashtra Ltd (Cidco) — the nodal agency for the project development — has got all the necessary clearances for the project. Cidco hopes to commission the first phase of the Rs 16,000-crore project by December 2019, with annual passenger handling capacity of 10 million.

MoEF had granted the environment clearance for the project on November 22, 2010, but laid down 32 conditions such as plantation of mangroves on 615 hectares, rehabilitation of 3,000 families of 10 settlements from seven villages that fall within the airport zone, among other things.

Subsequently, MoEF granted Stage-I forest and wildlife clearance for the project in December 2013.

A Cidco official told the Business Standard: “Various approvals and clearances from the ministry of civil aviation, ministry of defence, apart from the environment and coastal zone regulation (CRZ) clearance from MoEF are in place. The Bombay High Court has permitted the clearance of mangroves for the project. CRZ clearance for off-site infrastructure comprising peripheral roads and interchanges has also been received.”

This apart, Cidco has received route approval for shifting of transmission lines, from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation. A committee constituted by the DGCA to work out the air space management and procedures for simultaneous and independent operations of the Mumbai and Navi Mumbai airports is expected to give its report shortly.

The Business Standard had earlier reported that Cidco started transferring 22.5 per cent of developed land to around 950 project-affected persons and the process would be completed by October-end. Also, three short-listed bidders — GVK, GMR, and a group of Tata Realty and MIA Infra — are expected to give request for proposal for the airport project by September-end or early October. Cidco expects to award the contract by December.

KEY MILESTONES

• Dec 2013: The MoEF accorded Stage I Forest Clearance to NMIA project
• Apr 2013: Route approval for shifting of transmission lines obtained from DGCA
• Nov 2012: Proposal for Forest Clearance duly recommended by Maharashtra government forwarded to MoEF for clearance
• Dec. 2011: Maharashtra Revenue and Forest Department transferred 248 hectares of land to CIDCO
• May 2011: Steering Committee, Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) granted approval to Revised Master Plan for the project
• Nov 2010: MoEF approved environment clearance