Juhu runway extension may face green hurdle

Mumbai: As the Navi Mumbai airport project awaits environmental clearance, a plan to extend the Juhu airport runway into the sea may also face green obstacles. The Airports Authority of India has granted in-principle approval to the project to extend the Juhu runway from its current length of 1,143 metres to 2,020 metres.
The Juhu runway is proposed to be extended into the sea by cutting through the famed Juhu beach and an arterial road, for which an underpass tunnel would have to be constructed below the runway for road traffic, they said.
KPMG, which is the consultant selected by the AAI for the Juhu project, has suggested that the extension of the runway into the sea be done by using concrete stilts as was being done in case of the Chennai airport expansion project, officials said.
Such a plan would maintain smooth flow of sea water even during tides and go a long way to avoid environmental obstacles, they said.
A survey of the ocean bed has to be undertaken to see if pillars can be built and whether these would affect the underwater flora and fauna, apart from the ebb and flow of the water, the sources said.
As the project falls under the Coastal Regulation Zone, it has to be ratified by the Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority. This body would have to study various aspects, ranging from pollution, effluent discharge, fishing and coral life to high and low tide activity.
31/10/10 Press Trust of India /Hindustan Times

To Read the News in full at Source, Click the Headline

Categories: airports Oct 2010, New Oct 2010