Mumbai: The Maharashtra government has objected to the Airport Authority of India’s (AAI) plan to extend the Juhu airport runway into the sea,saying it will impact the proposed Bandra-Versova sea link.
The AAI, which manages the Juhu airport, has proposed to extend the existing 1,140-metre runway by 700-800 metres to enable it to accommodate turboprops and small passenger jets. Juhu airport serves as a helibase for Mumbai and handles around 100 chopper movements a day. It can only accommodate small fixed wing planes due to its smaller length of its runway. The plan to extend the runway was mooted to ease congestion at the Mumbai airport and shift the slower-moving turbo props and private jets to Juhu.
Although the expansion of Juhu airport was conceptualised several years ago, AAI is now trying to revive the project as the Navi Mumbai airport has been delayed.
However, the state government does not seem to be in favour of the plan. According to sources, Maharashtra chief secretary J K Banthia conveyed to AAI chairman V P Agarwal that the locals might object to the plan to extend the runway.
08/01/13 Aneesh Phadnis & Sanjay Jog/Business Standard
