Navi Mumbai Airport To Be Renamed After DB Patil, Says Maharashtra CM Fadnavis

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday confirmed that the upcoming Navi Mumbai International Airport will be renamed in honour of late Loknete DB Patil, a respected politician and social activist who championed the rights of project-affected persons in the region.

Speaking to the press, Fadnavis said, “While granting permission for the airport construction earlier, the centre had approved the name ‘Navi Mumbai International Airport’. With the proposed renaming, it will now be officially known as ‘Loknete DB Patil Navi Mumbai International Airport’. Prime Minister Narnedra Modi has approved the state’s proposal.”

Fadnavis also announced that the process of renaming airports in Pune and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (formerly Aurangabad)

is underway.

Pune Airport is proposed to be named after Jagadguru Sant Tukaram, while the Aurangabad Airport will be renamed after Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj. Both proposals, he said, have already received state cabinet approval and are now awaiting clearance from the Centre.

“The official name announcement will coincide with the commencement of passenger operations. During the interim “dry run” period, advance bookings and technical readiness procedures will be conducted,” he said.

Fadnavis added that the Centre is in the process of finalising a uniform policy on naming airports, under which these proposals are being processed and are expected to be approved shortly.

He also assured that criminal cases filed against activists who had protested over the naming of the Navi Mumbai airport will be withdrawn, especially to protect their employment prospects linked to the project. “Cases filed during the COVID period will also be withdrawn following due judicial procedure,” he said.

(With inputs from PTI)