Fadnavis proposes Mumbai’s third airport in Palghar

Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis proposed a third Mumbai airport on reclaimed land near Vadhvan port in Palghar, supported by CM Eknath Shinde, aiming for future infrastructure growth.

MUMBAI: Even as efforts are on to make the Navi Mumbai Airport operational in March 2025, deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis mooted a proposal to build Mumbai’s third airport at Palghar on reclaimed land near the proposed Vadhvan port. Speaking at the function held to lay the foundation stone for Vadhvan port on Friday, Fadnavis made the suggestion.

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“Mumbai will need a third airport in the coming years and at several places in the world airports are built on reclaimed land. My suggestion is for the Centre to consider this proposal on reclaimed land near Vadhvan port,” he said in the presence of prime minister Narendra Modi.

A third airport will “definitely change Mumbai” he added. His proposal was supported by chief minister Eknath Shinde in his address.

The plan for the third airport has been on the cards for some time, as the existing one in Mumbai is one of the busiest airports in India. Incidentally, during the previous Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government, then chief minister Uddhav Thackeray had also mooted the idea of a third airport. The state administration at the time was considering a proposal for a domestic airport at Kelva-Mahim or Dapchari, both in Palghar district.

The distance between Palghar and Mumbai is around 97 kilometers. The district, spread from Vasai-Virar to Dahanu, shares its border with Gujarat. The coastal district is expected to see significant infrastructure development.