Fadnavis directs time-bound completion of airport works
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday directed officials to complete the development works of airports across the state within fixed timelines and called for expediting plans for new greenfield airports, including in the Vadhvan-Virar region in Palghar.
Chairing the 93rd board meeting of the Maharashtra Airport Development Company (MADC) in Mumbai, Fadnavis said the proposed Vadhvan port — expected to be among Asia’s largest — would be a key driver of the state’s growth and must be supported by seamless road, rail and air connectivity.
He instructed the officials to identify land at the earliest for a new greenfield airport in the Vadhvan and Virar belt in the coastal Palghar district, and to accelerate development of existing airports in the state in a time-bound manner, a release issued by the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) said.
The chief minister also said a greenfield airport would be developed in Gadchiroli to support the district’s emergence as a major steel and industrial hub, citing the need for modern aviation infrastructure to meet rising logistics and passenger demand.
The meeting reviewed expansion and modernisation works at operational airports in Nanded, Sindhudurg and Nagpur, while the Maharashtra Airport Development Company (MADC) made a detailed presentation on the development of nine airports across Maharashtra.
The board also reviewed the progress of the Multi-modal International Cargo Hub and Airport at Nagpur (MIHAN) project. The state has approved Rs 597 crore for MIHAN’s overall development, of which Rs 297 crore have been released so far.
Officials said several projects are underway at MIHAN, including industrial units, a Patanjali Ayurved facility, the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Nagpur campus, commercial complexes, healthcare facilities, a cargo hub and EV charging infrastructure.
Fadnavis said strengthening airport and industrial infrastructure would significantly boost investment, employment generation and balanced regional development in Maharashtra.
