Finally, Navi Mumbai Airport Approved, Development to Start Soon

The (Moef) Union Ministry of Environment and Forests on Tuesday gave the crucial Stage-II forest wildlife clearance to the Navi Mumbai International Airport Project. With this, the City and Industrial Development Corporation of Maharashtra Ltd (CIDCO) - the nodal agency to commission the first phase of the Rs 16,000 crore project by December 2019, with annual passenger handling capacity of 10 million.

MoEF has granted the environment clearance for the project on November 22, 2010, but laid down 32 conditions such as plantatioan of mangroves on 615 hectares from seven villages that fill within the airport division, among other things.

Subsequently MoEF granted Stage-I forest and wildlife clearance for the project in December 2013.

A Cidco official told the Business Standard: Various approvals and clearances from the ministry of civil aviation, ministry of defence, apart from the environment and coastal division regulation (CRZ) clearance from MOEF are in place. The Bombay High Court has given the clearance of mangroves for the project. CRZ clearance for off-site plan comprising peripheral roads and interchanges has also been received.

Directorate General of Civil Aviation has given an approval to Cidco for the routes shifting of transmission lines,  A committee constituted by the DGCA to work out the air space management and procedures for simultaneous and independent plans of the Mumbai and Navi Mumbai airports is expected to give its analyses shortly.

The Business Standard has earlier reported that Cidco started transferring 22.5% of planned property to around 950 plan-affected persons and the process would be completed by October-end. Also, three short-listed bidders – GVK, GMR and a group [of Tata Realty and Mia Infra are expected to give request for proposal for the airport plan by September-end for early October. Cidco expects to start the contract by December.

KEY MILESTONES

• Dec 2013: The MoEF accorded Stage I Forest Clearance to NMIA project.

• Apr 2013: Route conformation for shifting of transmission lines obtained from DGCA.

• Nov 2012: Scheme for Forest Clearance duly suggested by Maharashtra Government forwarded to MoEF for clearance.

• Dec 2011: Maharashtra Revenue and Forest Department shifted 248 hectares of Property to CIDCO.

• May 2011: Steering Committee, Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) granted approval to Revised Master Plan for the project.

• Nov 2010: MoEF approved environment clearance.