Vadhavan Airport: Maharashtra's Bold Move To Boost Aviation—How Will It Change Local Lives?

The Maharashtra government has started working on a third airport for the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) at Vadhavan, where a major port is being built on India's west coast, according to a Hindustan Times (HT) report. The Maharashtra Airport Development Company (MADC) has begun a pre-feasibility study for this new airport in the Palghar district.

As per the same report, Swati Pandey, the managing director of MADC, explained, "The consultants will tell us what is feasible in the Vadhavan area. This is a first step by the government." This new airport would join the existing Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) in Mumbai and the upcoming airport in Navi Mumbai, which is set to open in April.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis confirmed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved the project. He shared that the goal is to develop a "third Mumbai" in Palghar and Vasai-Virar, including a port, airport, and bullet train.

The idea of an airport in Palghar was first mentioned during the groundbreaking ceremony for the Vadhavan port in August last year. Fadnavis highlighted the need for a third airport for Mumbai, which has a population of over 20 million. He suggested that the Centre consider reclaiming land near the Vadhavan port for this purpose.

The need for a third airport has been discussed for some time, especially given that Mumbai's current airport is one of the busiest in India. Previously, Uddhav Thackeray, the former chief minister during the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government, also proposed the idea. At that time, the state was looking into plans for a domestic airport in Kelva-Mahim or Dapchari, both located in Palghar district.

In a recent meeting on airport development, Fadnavis discussed the potential for a new satellite city at Vadhavan. He emphasized that Vadhavan is set to become one of the top 10 ports globally, facilitating significant commercial traffic through the upcoming Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train, coastal highway, and the Mumbai-Vadodara expressway.

While Navi Mumbai was established as a second Mumbai in the 1970s, plans are now in place for a "third Mumbai" at the end of the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link, also known as Atal Setu.