Juhu airstrip to be made airport for small aircraft

MUMBAI:A new airport for small aircraft traffic may be opened at Juhu within the next three to four years in an effort to decongest the busy Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport, a senior official said on Friday. As per the present plans of the AAI, an existing airstrip at the site, which is presently used by helicopters and small private aircrafts, is to be upgraded by constructing a longer runway and a new building.

“The airport is to be developed at a cost of Rs 80 crore. This should result in 10-15% decrease in traffic of small aircraft at the Mumbai International Airport,” AAI member (planning) VP Agrawal said here, on the sidelines of a seminar on infrastructure. However, many structures that surround the airstrip restricts the area that can be used to extend the runway, he added.

The proposal is to extend the runway approximately 3,000 feet towards the sea, a construction that may be difficult due to coastal regulation zone rules which may be applicable to the existing airstrip, Mr Agrawal said.

The runway of the new airport would also have to be elevated by 1.5 metres since the area is low-lying and prone to flooding during monsoon, he said.

The state government could also come up with some means to link the planned airport with the existing one by providing the necessary transport infrastructure, Mr Agrawal added.

“The air traffic control at the Mumbai airport will also be receiving a surface movement radar in order to increase safety at the airport since there is a lot of ground traffic,” he said.

Additionally, an automation system which allows processing of aircraft on the ground, thereby speeding up their movement at airports, is in the final phase of testing and is expected to be operational by November, he said adding new radars will also be installed.