Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], October 4 : Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday said that Navi Mumbai International Airport will be named after late Loknete D B Patil.
He added that the proposal, which was recently discussed with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, received a positive response.
Approvals for renaming Pune and Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar airports are also expected soon, the Chief Minister stated.
Speaking about the development, CM Fadnavis stated that the state government's stance on the airport naming has remained firm, and the Centre shares the same view.
"While granting permission for the construction of the airport, the Centre had earlier approved it under the name 'Navi Mumbai International Airport'. Now, the name will be extended as 'Loknete D. B. Patil Navi Mumbai International Airport'. The Prime Minister has assured that the naming will be done as per the proposal submitted by the state government," he said.
As per the release, CM Fadnavis further stated that once passenger traffic commences at the airport, it will be officially inaugurated under the name "Loknete D. B. Patil Navi Mumbai International Airport."
During the current "dry run" period, activities such as booking flights for the upcoming period and technical preparations will be carried out.
Fadnavis also highlighted that both Houses of the State Legislature had already passed a resolution to name the airport after Loknete D. B. Patil, and the State Cabinet forwarded the proposal to the Centre.
A central policy governing such naming decisions is under formulation, which explains the time taken. "Under the new policy, approvals for such namings will be granted soon," he said.
Along with Navi Mumbai, the state government has proposed renaming Pune airport after Jagadguru Sant Tukaram and Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar airport after Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj.
These proposals are under consideration by the Central Government and are expected to be approved shortly, in line with the state's demands and the new naming policy.
CM Fadnavis also announced that cases registered against protestors during the Navi Mumbai airport naming agitation will be withdrawn.
"These cases should not create hurdles in providing employment at the airport. Instructions will be issued to withdraw them. Some protests took place during the Covid period, and cases were also registered under Covid regulations; these will be withdrawn with due judicial permission," he said as per the release.
The announcement was made in a meeting where Forest Minister Ganesh Naik delivered the welcome address. Several public representatives and office-bearers, including MLA Ravindra Chavan, Dashrath Patil, MPs Kapil Patil and Suresh (Ballya) Mhatre, and former MPs Ramsheth Thakur, Sanjay Patil, and Sanjeev Naik, participated.
MLA Mahesh Baldi, former MPs Sanjay Patil and Sanjeev Naik, Jagannath Patil, Raju Patil, Subhash Bhoir, J.M.Mhatre, Jagdish Gaikwad, Dashrath Bhagat, J.D.Tandel, along with several public representatives and office-bearers, were also present.
A unanimous all-party proposal for this naming was presented to Chief Minister Fadnavis on this occasion.