The Hindu Business Line : Govt looks at more airports in coastal regions

New Delhi, May 26 In a move that will benefit not only the proposed Navi Mumbai airport project but also the expansion of existing airports in the coastal area, the Ministry of Environment and Forests has proposed changes in the Coastal Management Zone Notification that will allow such projects to be taken up.

It is proposed that these projects be cleared on a case-to-case basis and only after a detailed scientific study has been conducted to ensure that adequate environmental safeguards have been taken to neutralise damage to the coastal environment.

A senior official of the Ministry of Civil Aviation told Business Line that the amendments were being proposed as the earlier Act was exhaustive and specified areas where an airport could come up in the coastal zone. “The new amendment proposed will pave the way for the Navi Mumbai airport project and also any new project being planned,” the official said.

A study is proposed to be jointly conducted by the Pune-based National Water and Power Resources Institute and the Mumbai-based Indian Institute of Technology on mitigating the impact of the Navi Mumbai airport project on the environment. Besides, the International Civil Aviation Organisation has been commissioned to conduct a study on whether Mumbai requires another airport.

Globally countries over come the problem of airports coming up in the coastal region by having laws which stipulate that not only greenfield but also blue sea airports can be constructed as long as they do not impact the environment, officials said.

The proposed amendments to the notification would, however, not impact the expansion planned at existing airports of Airports Authority of India (AAI) in the coastal region. “The greenfield airport planned in Visakhapatnam is being done in an area which is inland. The Chakkan airport near Pune and Kannur airport will also not be affected by the proposed amendments as they are not in the coastal region,” officials said.

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