The Union ministry of environment and forests (MoEF) is said to be ready to approve this week the much-debated new international airport in Navi Mumbai.
State chief minister Prithviraj Chavan, currently in New Delhi, would meet on Monday the two ministers concerned, Praful Patel (civil aviation) and Jairam Ramesh (MoEF). He told Business Standard: “I had already discussed the issues relating to the Navi Mumbai airport with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Ramesh. The ministry’s clearance is expected soon.”
The experts’ appraisal committee of the MoEF has completed its discussions with the City & Industrial Development Corporation, nodal agency for the project. Cidco had given a revised proposal, to reduce the distance between two runways to 1,500 metres from 1,800 metres, minimum diversion of the Gadhi river, shifting of non-aeronautical activity to the south and protection of mangroves.
