13 July,2024 12:54 PM IST | Thane | mid-day online correspondent
Murlidhar Mohol/ X
Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol said on Saturday that the Navi Mumbai International Airport will begin operations in March 2025.
Union Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu, along with Mohol, visited the airport site to assess the status of the ongoing building work. "Going by the progress of the work, the airport will be operational in March next year. It will enhance connectivity with neighbouring Mumbai, Pune, Thane, Kalyan, and western Maharashtra," said Mohol.
He stated that the airport is being built to international standards and will handle nearly 20 million people per year.
Mohol also indicated support for naming the airport after the late PWP leader, DB Patil. He stated that concerns about compensation for project-affected persons (PAP) will be addressed during negotiations with management. "We are committed to ensuring that people who have contributed land for the airport project are not displaced," the minister stated, underlining the government's understanding of project-related difficulties and compensations.
He emphasised Prime Minister Modi's ongoing support for development initiatives in Maharashtra.
Mohol speaks about MLC elections
Following the recent Maharashtra legislative council elections, Mohol praised the Mahayuti alliance's performance and asked the Congress to evaluate its own challenges. The ruling Mahayuti coalition won all nine seats it fought in the biennial elections for 11 legislative council seats, while the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi suffered a blow when a candidate supported by the NCP (SP) lost.
In the high-stakes elections, where 12 candidates competed for 11 seats, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won five. The Shiv Sena, led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, and the Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) both won two seats.
The Mahayuti alliance, which performed poorly in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, has finally proven its strength. The BJP, the Shiv Sena, and Ajit Pawar's NCP are the main elements of this ruling coalition.
The election was necessitated as 11 members of the legislative council (MLCs) are completing their six-year term on July 27. The 288-member legislative assembly was the electoral college for the polls, with its current strength at 274. Each winning candidate required 23 votes.
With PTI inputs
