Plan panel roped in for Navi Mumbai airport

The development of the Navi Mumbai airport seems to be picking up pace with the civil aviation ministry on Tuesday saying that it has approached the Planning Commission to work out the modalities of developing the new airport and all other related work.

According to the ministry, civil aviation minister Ajit Singh on Tuesday met the deputy chairman of the Planning Commission Montek Singh Ahluwalia and Planning Commission advisor Gajendra Haldea, to discuss the development of the Navi Mumbai airport under a Public Private Partnership (PPP) model.
Dr Nasim Zaidi, secretary, ministry of civil aviation, was also present at the meeting.

"It was decided to consider the development of new airports like Navi Mumbai, city-side development, and maintenance of Chennai and Kolkata airports, work out various modalities and seek approval by the cabinet committee on infrastructure," the ministry said in a statement.

 Apart from the Navi Mumbai airport, other upcoming airport projects at Goa, Itanagar and Kannur under the PPP model were also discussed in the meeting.