Protests brewing up over naming of Navi Mumbai airport

A major political issue is brewing up over the naming of the upcoming Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) near Mumbai.

While the Maha Vikas Agahdi plans to name it after late Shiv Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray, a large number of locals and local BJP leaders want it to be named after late farmers’ leader DB Patil even as there is an online campaign to name it after JRD Tata, the father of civil aviation in India.

The NMIA is an under construction greenfield international airport being built at Ulwe Kopar-Panvel in Raigad district of Maharashtra – the second international airport in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR).

The City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO) is the nodal agency for NMIA, which would be developed through a PPP model.

Recently, senior Shiv Sena leader and Urban Development Minister Eknath Shinde said that the NMIA would be named after Balasaheb Thackeray.

“The Board of Directors of CIDCO had already taken the decision to name the NMIA after late Balasaheb Thackeray. This was forwarded to the state government. Decision has been taken based on the resolution passed by CIDCO,” he said.

On 10 June, several villagers from Raigad, Thane and Palghar districts under All Party Action Committee (APAC) and supported by political parties like BJP and AAP undertook a human chain demanding that the airport be named after DB Patil.

The APAC have planned to gherao the CIDCO office in Belapur on 24 June, however, the Navi Mumbai police has denied the permission.

Late DB Patil fought for the rights of Project Affected People (PAPs) and is revered by locals.

On the other hand, an online petition is gaining momentum to name the airport after JRD Tata.

“After Mahatma Gandhi’s freedom struggle it was JRD Tata who pioneered the Indian economy to practically everything. No politician can ever match JRD Tata’s contribution to India.

A man that has never been shown gratitude for his contributions to India is JRD Tata! All major landmarks are only named after politicians and their families,” an online petition said.