Navi Mumbai: The Navi Mumbai International Airport Limited (NMIAL) is yet to apply for a license from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), an RTI response has revealed, raising concerns about regulatory preparedness ahead of the airport’s scheduled opening. When contacted, NMIAL refused to comment on the matter.
Environmental watchdog NatConnect Foundation’s director, B N Kumar, had filed an RTI query with the DGCA seeking details on measures being taken to mitigate bird strike risks at the airport. In response, DGCA Deputy Director and Chief Public Information Officer Dhusar Kumar Mondal stated, “No information is available as the licensing application has not yet been received by this office.”
Expressing astonishment, Kumar pointed out that despite trial flights already being conducted and the airport expected to commence operations in less than three months, NMIAL has not yet completed this crucial regulatory step. He also sought confirmation on whether a committee had been appointed to study bird flight patterns and their presence around the airport.
Environmentalists have raised concerns over the fate of local wetlands, which serve as key habitats for flamingos and other avian species. While NMIAL has assured that biodiversity in the airport’s periphery will be protected, activists argue that CIDCO has failed to maintain the city’s wetlands, including the DPS Flamingo Lake.
Kumar emphasized that the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) study and the half-yearly compliance reports submitted by NMIAL to the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) clearly state that wetlands around the airport will be preserved as per recommendations from the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS).
However, he accused CIDCO of neglecting its responsibility, citing its failure to keep intertidal water channels open at DPS Flamingo Lake, despite a high-level government committee’s recommendation to declare it a Conservation Reserve.
The NMIAL reports extensively discuss biodiversity management within a 10-km radius of the airport, stating that BNHS recommendations will be implemented by both CIDCO and the airport project. However, activists remain skeptical, urging authorities to ensure environmental commitments are upheld alongside aviation safety regulations.
