Aaditya Thackeray renews his demand for Palghar airport

Proposed airport could drive regional development and tourism, experts say

Aaditya Thackeray has penned a letter to the newly appointed Civil Aviation Minister, Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu, urging him to reconsider the proposal for establishing an airport in the Palghar Strip. The proposed airport is intended to enhance the air travel infrastructure within the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR). Meanwhile, experts have weighed the proposal stating that it will help alleviate the air traffic congestion further at Mumbai airport.

In his letter, Thackeray highlighted the growing need for improved air travel facilities in Mumbai, one of India's busiest and most densely populated metropolitan areas. He wrote, “We had also begun work to initiate an airport in Palghar district, that could be a third airport for the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), thereby supporting the region and west coast of India, in passenger and cargo traffic. This proposal too, despite repeated requests, were ignored by the BJP.”

“The existing airport is operating at near-full capacity, and the addition of another airport in the Palghar strip could distribute the air traffic more evenly, ensuring smoother travel experience for passengers and fostering economic development in the region,” said a retired ATC official.

“It could serve as a catalyst for regional development, attracting investment, generating employment, and enhancing the overall infrastructure of the MMR. They also point out that a new airport could support the region's burgeoning tourism industry and ease congestion at the current airport, which is often overstretched,” he said.

The ATC official added, “The upcoming Navi Mumbai airport will cater to the masses from Navi Mumbai and alleviate some pressure of the Mumbai airport but masses from Palghar and surroundings still have no choice but to go to Mumbai. This proposal will help alleviate air traffic congestion at the Mumbai airport, which is still running at its peak capacity.”

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