Navi Mumbai airport likely to be named after DB Patil, confirms union min

CM Shinde, Devendra Fadnavis reviewing progress of Navi Mumbai airport/ CM Shinde`s team

Union Minister Kapil Patil has indicated that the proposal to name the forthcoming Navi Mumbai airport after the late leader D B Patil has reached Prime Minister Narendra Modi's office and is expected to receive approval soon, stated a report in PTI.

According to the report, at a symposium on Saturday at Dombivali's Agri Mahotsav, Patil stated that the new airport's name will be officially confirmed during the latter phases of construction.

The late DB Patil was well-known for spearheading landowner and farmer protests in the Panvel tehsil of Raigad district decades ago against the City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO) acquiring land, the report added.

The airport's name proposal was approved by the state legislative assembly and council in November of last year, and operations are scheduled to begin the following year. Patil then reported that the suggestion had been sent by the home department to the Prime Minister's office for review.

"A resolution to name the airport was passed in the state legislative assembly and council in November last year and sent to the Centre. The proposal has since been forwarded by the home department to the secretary in the Prime Minister's office," the minister said.

Concerns have been expressed by the Bhumiputra Sangharsh Samiti and former MP Sanjiv Naik about job prospects for residents at the proposed airport. In response, Patil gave his assurance that jobs would be given to the people living in the area. "I don't think bhumiputras (locals) will be denied jobs," the minister was quoted as saying.

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis earlier this year informed the state assembly during its monsoon session that the Navi Mumbai airport will become operation next year.

Fadnavis, in response to a discussion on a calling attention notice by Congress leader Ashok Chavan and others on the prevailing condition of airports across Maharashtra, said, "Planes will take off from the airport in August next year." He added, "Work at Nanded and Latur airport has come to a halt due to non-payment of dues by the assigned company." Navi Mumbai airport will start functioning next year, he had said.