PM Modi to kick off construction of Navi Mumbai airport on Feb 18

Officials said Modi’s involvement will speed up the project; MIAL aims to start flight operations by the end of 2021

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch the construction of the long-delayed Navi Mumbai International Airport on February 18.

Helipad being prepared for Modi’s visit at the Navi Mumbai International Airport site.(Bachchan Kumar/Hindustan Times)

The Rs2,000-crore pre-construction work — including cutting of Ulwe hills, diversion of Gadi river and laying overhead high-tension wires underground — started in July 2017.

Officials said Modi’s involvement will speed up the project.

Modi will be in Mumbai to unveil the Magnetic Maharashtra investor summit at Bandra-Kurla Complex on the same day.

Bhushan Gagrani, vice-chairman and managing director of City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO), confirmed that Modi would be visiting the airport site.

GVK-led Mumbai International Airport Limited (MIAL) is building the airport at an estimated cost of Rs16,000 crore.

It aims to start flight operations by the end of 2021. Planned 20 years ago, the airport has hit many hurdles — land acquisition, rehabilitation of project affected people, etc.

The airport will have two runways, and requires 2,268 hectares of land, of which 671 hectares is yet to be acquired.