Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis has said that work for the Navi Mumbai International Airport will commence within six months. According to him, all formalities have been completed and the tender bid will be opened soon.
Fadnavis said that the airport will be in operation by 2019. "Most of the permissions are in place and all development including that of the airstrip will get completed in the next three years. We are confident that the first flight will start in 2019. This ambitious projects will reduce the burden of the existing airport," Fadnavis said.
Navi Mumbai International Airport was cleared by the Central government in 2007 but the plan has been stuck midway after encountering problems in land acquisition and environmental clearance.
City and Industrial Development Cooperation (Cidco), the nodal agency for the airport, has received nine bids and out of this four have been shortlisted. The four companies include GMR Group, the GVK-led MIAL, Hiranandani Developers along with Zurich Airport and Mia Infrastructure with Tata Realty and Infrastructure. MIAL, which operates Mumbai International Airport, has the first right of refusal of the project as per earlier contract.
If the closer firm's bid is within 10 per cent of the one quoted by MIAL, then the GVK group company has the option to increase its bid and win the contract. The selected bidders have been scrutinised by the project management committee (PMC). This scrutinised report will be submitted to the chief minister and later to the aviation ministry. The final work will start after that.
"We have already started the ground work for the airport. The hill cutting and portion-levelling work have been started. It is ambitious project for Cidco. We have never handled any Rs1,5000 crore worth green field project before. We are tirelessly working on it," said a senior Cidco official.
He added that the farmers whose land has been taken will be given the 22.5% developed land. "We want to develop their land on the line of Magarpatta city so they will have steady income even though they lose their land permanently. We are committed to their and Navi Mumbai's overall development," the official added.
