Huge wave of residents, BJP workers protest in Navi Mumbai over airport naming

The mega project of the upcoming Navi Mumbai airport has stirred controversy among the political parties. The airport is still two years away from completion, but a political row has already erupted over what the project should be named. Massive crowd with thousands of protests gathered at CIDCO Bhavan Navi Mumbai to stage protest over the naming of the airport.

The Rs 16,000-cr Navi Mumbai airport is reported to be one of the world’s largest greenfield airports, with two parallel runways. The first phase is likely to be operational by 2023. Even before the completion of the project, its naming has emerged as a crucial step involving political row to residents protests. The first phase involves the operational management of one of the two runways and is likely to be completed by 2023.

The Shiv Sena wants to name the airport after party founder Balasaheb Thackeray, whereas, the BJP is supporting a demand by local residents to name the new airport after D.B. Patil. Meanwhile, Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena has demanded that the airport be named after Maratha warrior king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Local people, affected by the project, whose lands were taken for the airport staged an enormous protest outside the City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO) office on Thursday, to demand that the airport be named after D.B Patil. Fondly known as Diba Patil is considered as one of the tallest leaders of local Agri and Koli communities, who contributed a lot in their upliftment.

The tussle between the BJP and Sena has sharpened. Adding to the row, the MNS chief said, “Maharashtra is known after Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. When his name is proposed, then no other name should even be considered. Had Balasaheb Thackeray been alive, he too would have supported Maharaj’s name.” The ongoing clash over the name of the airport is said to play a major role in the formation of government in Maharashtra.