An all-new Panvel in the making

The Navi Mumbai International Airport project will improve infrastructure, transport and employment opportunities

PANVEL: The nondescript Panvel taluka landscape is all set to undergo a sea change with the proposal to develop the green field international airport in the taluka that had been stuck because of objection in land acquisition from project affected people (PAP).

Barring a few reservations, the PAP finally agreed to the package offered by the state government during a meeting with chief minister Prithviraj Chavan on Monday.

The project will mean that the geography of the taluka including hills, the two rivers as well as roads and transportation facilities will undergo widespread modification and that the region will be developed at par with Mumbai, said sources in City and Industrial Development Corporation (Cidco).

The state government decided to build an international airport in Panvel to ease the traffic burden on the existing airport in Mumbai. Responding to the state’s request, the central government had set up a committee in 1997 to look into the issue. The commit- tee approved construction of the airport in Navi Mumbai.

Cidco and the state government have received all necessary approvals for the proposed airport including permission for removing mangroves spread over 172 hectares from the Bombay high court recently.

The anti-encroachment department of Cidco had sent notices to real estate developers within 25-km radius of Navi Mumbai Airport Influence Notified Area (Naina) two months ago asking them to stop construction work.

“The airport will lead to large scale-development of infrastructure in terms of roads and highways including the Nhava Sheva Sewri link which, too, will soon become a reality,” said Rajesh Prajapati, president of Navi Mumbai Chamber of Housing and Industry (MCHI), Raigad.

“Apart from infrastructure the project will also improve connectivity to the region and this will imply that various industries and businesses are set up in the area. These will include those supporting the airport directly and also the hospitality industry, etc,” he added.

Bhupen Shah, former president of Builders Association of Navi Mumbai (BANM), said, “While the real estate market is sure to boom, more educational institutes and avenues for entertainment are also sure to come up in the area.”

Shah added that the economy of the region as a whole will see a boost because of the all-round development of Panvel taluka.

Devang Trivedi, president of BANM also concurred with the two realtors. “Many employment opportunities will be on offer not just for the locals, but for all those residing around the region There will be a rise in demand of unskilled worker as well as educated technocrats,” he said, adding that the project was significant not just for sharing Mumbai airport’s load, but also because it was a catalyst for the overall development of the region.