Mumbai: two sites identified for city's third airport in Palghar

The Maharashtra government has chosen two locations for Mumbai's satellite airport in the Palghar district: Kelva-Mahim and Dapchari.

The district collectorate in Kelva-Mahim has started work on the project by identifying three plots and starting the data collecting procedure, which involves identifying government and private land at each location.

An alternate location is being considered near Dapchari, roughly 70 km from Kelva-Mahim. At Kelva-Mahim, they have selected three sites for the airport, each measuring 400 hectares.

An official told the media that once they've identified the landowners, they will send the information to the Maharashtra Airport Development Corporation (MADC), which will do a feasibility study.

The Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) and the MADC are collaborating on the airport plan. The revenue department is partnering with these two state government entities to find potential airport sites.

The competent authorities would approach the Director-General of Civil Aviation and Airports Authority of India (AAI) for appropriate clearances after the location has been determined. A suitable-sized flat tract is an essential condition.

Another official revealed that they want to expand this airport by constructing runways ranging in length from 1800 to 2400 m, including a modest terminal with parking for a few aircraft.

Aircraft like the Airbus A330-800 and Boeing 777-200 require a 2400-metre runway to land, while the Boeing737-100 can land on a 1,830 m runway, and the Airbus A320 and AirbusA318 need a 1,780 m runway. He stated that this new airport should be able to accommodate all types of aircraft.

The official added that it would serve as the city's third airport and will initially be utilised for light plane landings, emergency scenarios such as floods, and VIP transfers.

After then, the facility would be modified as needed. Uddhav Thackeray, the chief minister, had urged the MADC authorities to expedite the execution at a meeting on May 10.

The Mumbai airport has already hit capacity. Due to the difficulty of relocating the existing slums on airport land, future expansion has been slowed.

The construction of Mumbai's second airport, in Navi Mumbai, has also been slowed by opposition from locals who first refused to sell their property for the project. The first phase of the Navi Mumbai airport is projected to be completed by the end of 2024, with a capacity of 40 million passengers when completely operational.

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Also read: Govt identifies two sites for Chennai’s second airport construction