Despite severe opposition to the Navi Mumbai airport site for possible environment damage, Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel today made it clear that there can be no alternative site for Mumbai's second airport.
"There is no question of an alternative site for Navi Mumbai airport. Any talk about Kalyan and Rewas-Mandawa sites for the airport is ruled out," Patel told reporters here.
"The only site Civil Aviation Ministry can approve for the airport is Navi Mumbai," he said after a meeting on rehabilitation of slums dwellers around Mumbai airport. Chief Minister Ashok Chavan also attended the meeting.
Chavan said things about Navi Mumbai airport are moving in a positive direction. There are certain issues which need to be sorted out, he said.
Chavan said about 17,000 families around airport area would be rehabilitated in Kurla area within two-three months in first phase.
"There are around 80,000 families to be rehabilitated, as the airport needs more space for face lift and the families would be rehabilitated in next three years," he said.
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Chavan also announced to set up a separate authority to deal with appeals on rehabilitation in order to expedite the process. MMRDA has been given task to look for other sites in the city for rehabilitation of the remaining families, he said.
Local MLAs Naseem Khan and Kripashankar Singh who were also present for the meeting demanded that slums up to year 2000 should also be rehabilitated.