Centre to fast-track clearances for Navi Mumbai airport

The Centre on Monday assured the Maharashtra government that it would expedite sanctioning of clearances for the proposed Navi Mumbai airport. The assurance came at a meeting between aviation minister Ajit Singh and Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan in Delhi.

The Union Cabinet had granted in-principle approval for a second international airport for Mumbai in May 2007. It is one of the 'priority projects', being monitored directly by the Prime Minister's Office. Singh told Chavan on Monday that the Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure (CCI) had to look into the legal aspects concerning the bid documents, contractual liabilities, infrastructural and environmental issues, before granting clearances, an aviation ministry statement said.

The minister also told Chavan that Centre was aware of the progress made by the state regarding environmental clearances, shifting of power transmission lines, rehabilitation and resettlement, connectivity, land development schemes, apart from the land acquisition.