Second Mumbai airport takes off

New Delhi: Paving the way for the construction of a second international airport in Mumbai, the Environment Ministry today finally cleared the long-pending infrastructure project at the proposed site in Navi Mumbai which it had been opposing for several months citing ecological reasons.
While announcing the clearance — at a joint press conference with Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan and Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel — Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh said that the decision was a “major, major compromise” for his ministry.
“The biggest compromise is the Navi Mumbai site itself,” Ramesh said. He said the Navi Mumbai location had become a fait accompli in view of the fact that there was no viable alternative site available in and around Mumbai and that a majority of the land at the present proposed site was already in the possession of project developer CIDCO (City and Industrial Development Corporation of Maharashtra) and the state government.
“The construction of the Navi Mumbai airport can technically start from today,” Ramesh said.
23/11/10 Indian Express

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Categories: Airports Nov 2010, New Nov 2010