Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis proposed to build Mumbai’s third airport at Palghar on reclaimed land near the proposed Vadhvan port. Fadnavis made this announcement while speaking at the function held to lay the foundation stone for Vadhvan port on Friday, August 30.
In his address, in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Fadnavis said that a third airport will “definitely change Mumbai”.
It is pertinent to note that this comes at a time when the Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) is expected to commence operations fully by March 2025.
“Mumbai will need a third airport in the coming years and at several places in the world, airports are built on reclaimed land. My suggestion is for the Centre to consider this proposal on reclaimed land near Vadhvan port,” he added.
His proposal was supported by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde in his address.
The plan for the third airport has been on the cards for some time, as the existing one in Mumbai is one of the busiest airports in India and is nearing its capacity limit.
Incidentally, during the previous Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government, then chief minister Uddhav Thackeray had also planned the idea of a third airport.
The state administration at the time was considering a proposal for a domestic airport at Kelva-Mahim or Dapchari, both in Palghar district.
The distance between Palghar and Mumbai is around 97 kilometers. The district, spread from Vasai-Virar to Dahanu, shares its border with Gujarat.