Hope Navi Mumbai airport will come soon: Ashok Chavan

Maharashtra chief minister Ashok Chavan is slated to meet the Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) of the environment ministry on October 22 in Mumbai over the long-pending green clearance for the ambitious Navi Mumbai airport.

“Things are going in the right direction now, and I hope that the Navi Mumbai airport will become a reality soon,” Chavan told reporters after emerging from a meeting of the chief ministers’ group on consumer affairs.

While answering queries by the reporters, Chavan said that protests over the presence of Pakistani artists in the TV reality show Bigg Boss should not affect the smooth running of the programme. “Anyone who has a valid work permit will be granted full protection, and the protests shall be dealt with as per the law,” he added.

With the organisational revamp of the party on the cards, the chief minister was tight-lipped about the possible claimants for the Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) chief’s post. He did have a meeting with union defence minister AK Antony, who handles state affairs for the party. “The final decision on this issue rests with the high command,” he maintained.