Chavan expects positive decision on Navi Mumbai airport soon

The Maharashtra government today said it was expecting a positive decision from the Centre on the proposed airport in the satellite city of Navi Mumbai, where the project has been stalled due to environmental concerns.

The Maharashtra government on Friday said it was expecting a positive decision from the Centre on the proposed airport in the satellite city of Navi Mumbai, where the project has been stalled due to environmental concerns.

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"I am expecting a positive decision on Navi Mumbai airport soon," Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan said during his felicitation by Mumbai Regional Congress Committee, a day after he assumed office.

His predecessor Ashok Chavan had taken up the project clearance issue with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

"We had called a secretary in the Environment Ministry to PMO to discuss the matter and a delegation of Maharashtra leaders had also met the Prime Minister following which the process to clear the project was expedited," said Chavan, who was Minister of State in PMO before becoming the CM.

The existing Chhatrapati Shivaji International airport has exceeded its limit to handle the expanding air traffic and a new airport is necessary to reduce the load, he said.

Chavan said he was well aware of issues plaguing the metropolis and had handled them during his stint in PMO.

"After the 2005 floods in Mumbai, the PM sanctioned Rs 1200 crore for the Brihanmumbai Storm Water Drainage project. The ongoing development projects need public-private partnership and viability gap funding," he said.