State plans to revive Juhu aerodrome

Mumbai: Mumbai’s first airport, the near derelict Juhu aerodrome, may get a facelift soon if a state government proposal to reopen it for civil aviation flights (40- to 50-seaters used by airlines like Jet Airways and Deccan Air) gets the Centre’s nod.
According to a well-placed secretariat official, “Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel has asked the Airports Authority of India to conduct an analysis of the revenue diversion from the Santa Cruz domestic airport that would result as and when such a proposal is cleared.”Sanjay Narayan, joint secretary in the Union civil aviation ministry, declined comment.
Director-General of Civil Aviation Satyendra Singh said he was unaware of the proposal.An AAI spokesman told DNA: “The Juhu aerodrome earlier boasted of a 3600 foot-long runway, but it has been effectively reduced to a usable length of 2400 feet. A good portion of the airport land was given to the city for making motorable access possible on Juhu Tara Road.”
04/03/06 Renni Abraham/DNA

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