South Mumbai helipad plan gets MSRDC nod

After keeping the proposal of constructing a helipad at South Mumbai in cold storage for years, the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) has said that the move is financially feasible, and the plan is back on track. 

According to MSRDC officials, a recently prepared feasibility report by it has concluded that constructing helipads in south Mumbai, along with several other locations such as Navi Mumbai and Thane is financially feasible. However, the Corporation has apprehensions over getting no objection certificate from several authorities, including the Indian Navy and Defence Ministry over the same in case of south Mumbai.

A MSRDC official said: “We have not scrapped our plan to build helipads in Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), and in south Mumbai. Our recently compiled feasibility report has concluded that having additional helipads is financially feasible, considering enough traffic movement for recovering costs.”

The MSRDC official added: “We might get enough traffic and most of it would be VVIP movement. They will avail these helipads. This will also reduce the burden on city roads, due to less VVIP movement.”

According to MSRDC, helipads will be helping the city roads decongest, as it will allow VVIP movement, ferrying individuals belonging to business class and also in case of emergency, it can act like air ambulance. The MSRDC officials, however, opined that technically there might be issues in getting a nod from several ministries, including the environment and defence, including the Indian Navy. 

“In case of south Mumbai, it will be the Indian Navy that might not give permission. In the past also, similar proposals were rejected, and also in terms of environment ministry, it might have an issue with noise pollution, but from our end, we have not junked our proposal, and a final call will be taken by the state government,” the MSRDC official concluded.

As of today, there are 4-5 helipads in the city. This includes one at Juhu Airport, Mahalaxmi Racecourse, Raj Bhavan and INS Kunjali, but the one in south Mumbai is not open for public.

Fly Away

• A recently prepared feasibility report by MSRDC has concluded that constructing helipads in south Mumbai, along with several other locations such as Navi Mumbai and Thane is financially feasible. 
• MSRDC officials opined that technically there might be issues in getting a nod from several ministries. 
• As of today, there are 4-5 helipads in the city