ICAO clears proposal for second airport in Mumbai

New Delhi, Aug 22 (UNI) The proposal to have a second airport in Mumbai has got technical clearance and work on the project will gain momentum soon, Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel said here.

The Government had received a report from the International Civil Aviation Organisation(ICAO) which said that a second airport in Mumbai was possible, Mr Patel told the Rajya Sabha responding to a question of Mr Manohar Joshi of the Shiv Sena.

The new airport will come up in Navi Mumbai. The process has already started, he said.

However, he said the proposal to have an airport at Noida was not under consideration of the Government at present. The issue may be taken up under the new aviation policy which was being formulated.

As for Delhi, he said, the air traffic congestion will end with the construction of two more runways under the Airport modernisation plan.

Responding to the concern expressed by several members over the congestion at airport and in air traffic, the Minister admitted that the development infrastructure had not been able to keep pace with the growth in the aviation sector, which peaked at 50 per cent this year. But the government was making several concrete efforts to create additional capacity, he added.

Mr Patel said situation at the Delhi airport would improve dramatically within weeks and months. Facilities like rapid exit ways would come up in the near future.

The minister gave figures of the fuel spent in the air while the aircraft is hovering and waiting for landing signal. The fuel spent by Jet Airways is Rs 45 crore annually; Sahara Airlines Rs 8.5 crore annually and GoAir Rs 7.5 crore annually. The Indian Airlines spends Rs 18 lakh a day on such fuel.

He said the government would also look into the suggestion for alternative airports in metros, keeping in view the growing requirements of aviation.

Answering a question from BJP member Hema Malini, the minister said while the slums obstruct expansion of airports, people living in these areas cannot be evicted without giving them alternative dwelling units. Both the Centre and the Maharashtra Government were working on holistic ways, Mr Patel said.

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