Navi Mumbai Airport’s Height Inquiry Sparks Concern Among Residents and Activists
Mumbai, 14th September 2024: Residents and activists have expressed concern over a recent request from Navi Mumbai International Airport Pvt Limited (NMIAL) asking for information about the heights of local buildings.
NMIAL’s request cites a Ministry of Civil Aviation notification regarding height restrictions within a 20 km radius of an aerodrome. Following an aeronautical survey last year, NMIAL identified certain buildings that might be non-compliant with these height regulations.
For example, NMIAL’s inquiry about Nivaan Grande in New Seawoods, Nerul, includes requests for detailed information such as the building’s maximum height, construction dates, sanctioned plans, occupancy certificate, WGS 84 coordinates, and a no-objection certificate from the Airports Authority of India.
Concerned citizens and activist B.N. Kumar have questioned why NMIAL is contacting residents directly and creating unnecessary anxiety. Kumar has alerted the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) and the City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO), which issued the occupancy certificates. He recalled that CIDCO previously celebrated the relocation of the Airport Surveillance Radar (ASR) to Dhakale Island, which was intended to lift height restrictions and support high-rise development.
Kumar views the NMIAL request as contrary to earlier assurances of ease in height restrictions and believes it to be unfriendly to residents. Former NMMC Standing Committee chairperson Netra Shirke has raised the issue with MLA Ganesh Naik and the civic authorities. Shirke criticized NMIAL for not verifying building records with the NMMC and assured that Naik would address the matter with NMIAL.
