There will be 'explosion of discontent' if Navi Mumbai airport not named after D B Patil: Committee

Thane: As the operations of the Navi Mumbai international airport expected to start later this year, an all-party action committee on Friday pressed for its demand to name the new facility after late leader D B Patil, and warned of an "explosion of discontent" if it is not fulfilled.

Dashrath Patil, chairman of the Loknete D B Patil Navi Mumbai International Airport All-Party Action Committee, reiterated the demand during a press conference held here.

"The Navi Mumbai international airport should be named after Loknete D B Patil immediately," he said.

He requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to hold a meeting with the action committee over the issue.

D B Patil, who was a Member of Parliament (MP), had led several protests by farmers and landowners surrounding Panvel tehsil in Raigad district when the City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO) acquired land in the area decades ago.

"The issue of naming the Navi Mumbai airport after D B Patil is pending with the Centre. The state government should immediately organise a meeting of the office-bearers action committee along with PM Modi and announce the name. Otherwise, there will be an explosion of discontent," he warned.

"A resolution (about naming the airport after D B Patil) has been in both houses of the Maharashtra legislature and sent to the Centre. But it is still pending with the Centre. With the airport's construction largely complete and flight operations expected to commence from November, it is imperative to immediately name it after D B Patil," he said.

Despite a meeting with the Union aviation minister earlier, the issue is pending, Patil said, adding that the Centre should resolve it quickly.

Patil also demanded that priority be given to the project-affected people and the landowners in Thane, Raigad, Palghar, Mumbai districts in jobs at the airport.