All earlier proposals by different players fizzled out due space restriction, security reasons
The Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) has come up with a new big project — setting up helipads in Mumbai and its neighbouring areas.
Multiple helipads may dot the city and its surrounding areas and these may cater to medical services (air ambulance), VIP movement, for ferrying individuals on hire basis, etc.
"We will create infrastructure for helipads and the operations will be done by private players. At the moment, we will launch a survey work to identify sites where helipads can be established," said Anil Diggikar, managing director of MSRDC. The Built-Operate-Transfer (BOT) financial model is being looked at for the project.
The idea is to have a helipad in south Mumbai, one each in the eastern and western suburbs, Thane, Kalyan, Navi Mumbai, Pune, Virar, etc. Some of the sites are within the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) and a couple of them outside it.
In the first round of survey, plots owned by MSRDC will be identified. If MSRDC land is not available, land owned by the government and semi-government bodies will be looked at. "The survey or techno-economic feasibility report will ascertain which site will be made available to us for how many years and other details. The project is at a conceptual stage," added Diggikar.
The report will be submitted to MSRDC in next six months.
The MSRDC has already created a helipad for the purpose of air ambulance on Mumbai-Pune Expressway, but so far no operator is coming forward for it.
The concept of having helipads within and outside Mumbai is not new. Earlier, Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport Undertaking (BEST) and Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) too had come up with same proposal, but not a single aircraft landed or took off. In fact, a sea plane service too was planned between Juhu aerodrome and Nariman Point to cut down on travel time, but this too has not materialised. Currently, sea plane is being operated between Juhu aerodrome and Lonavla.
BEST's plan to use empty space inside its bus depots did not take off due to safety issues in the already congested Mumbai.
A techno-economic feasibility study for MMRDA's plan was not forthcoming. It had ruled out the heliport proposed at MSRDC office at Priyadarshani Park due to need for reclamation.
Additionally, Mumbai's air space is already saturated due to heavy air traffic movement. Cuffe Parade too was ruled out due to security reasons from Indian Navy.
The report stated that heliports at Nariman Point, Bandra Reclamation and Nerul in Navi Mumbai are feasible.
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