Mumbai: The last of the hurdles to the proposed Navi Mumbai airport is gone now with the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) certifying that caves in Waghivali Pada village do not have any historical significance. This means that the work to flatten hillocks and level the ground for the new airport construction could take off by January 2016.
Local villagers believed that the caves were ancient as they housed the Kerumata temple, but the ASI letter now clarifies that they have not heritage value and could be flattened. The tender to level the ground is to be awarded this month.
"We had received a clearance from the ASI long ago, but after an NGO challenged the earlier consent, a proper report was prepared with the help of archaeological experts from Deccan College, Pune, and was submitted to the ASI which has once again endorsed that the caves do not have any archaeological importance," a CIDCO official told TOI.
"Ahead of finalizing the work tenders to flatten hillocks, putting high tension wires underground, creating mangrove lagoon, and diverting river, the ASI clearance has enthused us as it has paved the way for actual ground preparations to start work," said CIDCO joint managing director V Radha.
The Rs 15,000 crore project has already received clearances from environment, wildlife, aviation and other government departments.
16/12/15 Chittaranjan Tembhekar/The Times Of India
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Local villagers believed that the caves were ancient as they housed the Kerumata temple, but the ASI letter now clarifies that they have not heritage value and could be flattened. The tender to level the ground is to be awarded this month.
"We had received a clearance from the ASI long ago, but after an NGO challenged the earlier consent, a proper report was prepared with the help of archaeological experts from Deccan College, Pune, and was submitted to the ASI which has once again endorsed that the caves do not have any archaeological importance," a CIDCO official told TOI.
"Ahead of finalizing the work tenders to flatten hillocks, putting high tension wires underground, creating mangrove lagoon, and diverting river, the ASI clearance has enthused us as it has paved the way for actual ground preparations to start work," said CIDCO joint managing director V Radha.
The Rs 15,000 crore project has already received clearances from environment, wildlife, aviation and other government departments.
16/12/15 Chittaranjan Tembhekar/The Times Of India
