The environment and civil aviation ministry have been able to resolve most of the contentious issues, which could pave the way for the Navi Mumbai airport.
Both Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel and Environment and Forests Minister Jairam Ramesh, who met today, decided not to divert one of the rivers, and preserve mangroves. However, the hills will be blasted to build two runways at the airport.
“We have made good progress and resolved 70 per cent of the issues. The Expert Appraisal Committee (of the environment ministry) will meet on November 9 and 10 to have a final look at the compromises being worked out by both sides (on the project),” Ramesh told reporters after the meeting.
The Navi Mumbai site suffers from three major environment problems — diversion of two rivers, survival of mangroves spread over 400 acres and blasting of a hill. “After the analysis, we found this was the best-suited site for the airport. It has been decided that Gadhi, which is one of two rivers near the site, will not be diverted. Mangroves will be preserved and a bio-diversity zone will be made in the vicinity of the airport. There is no option but to blast the hills to build two runways,” said Ramesh.
Environment ministry sources said: “On the other river, Ulwe, EAC has asked Cidco to re-examine the possibility of hydrologically designing a few kilometres of the river as a through channel for the required discharge, without changing its natural alignment, after ensuring least interference or damage to the mangroves.”
In case the runways are staggered, the location of the terminal building could also be shifted eastward to avoid being positioned above the river. The non-aeronautical side of the airport, which includes a parking area, hotels and restaurant, will also be shifted on the other side of the road.
The airport project was approved by the Union Cabinet in 2007 but got stuck due to the environment ministry objections. The project has already been delayed by over two years. The airport is to be developed in four phases and the work on the first phase was to be started by 2008 and completed by 2012. The fourth phase was planned to be completed by 2028.
While both Delhi and Mumbai airports were privatised at the same time, the former had managed to expand its annual capacity by 34 million passengers to 60 million.
Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL), the GMR-led consortium which operates the airport, managed to increase capacity by building a new terminal, as there was sufficient land available.
In contrast, there are limited possibilities of adding passenger capacity at the existing Mumbai airport, operated by a GVK-led consortium.
The Mumbai airport is expected to exhaust its annual capacity of 40 million passengers by 2013 and a new airport will add 60 million a year.
