The proposed Greenfield airport project in Navi Mumbai, of an estimated cost of Rs 9,700 crore, has once again run into delay with the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) asking City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO) to look for three alternative sites near Kalyan, about 54 kms from Mumbai. According to a report in Economic Times, CIDCO has been asked to submit the survey on October 18, 2010 when officials of MoEF's Experts Appraisal Committee (EAC) will revisit the Navi Mumbai site. The EAC has put environmental clearance to Navi Mumbai Airport on hold till it comes out with 'satisfactory answers' explaining why it has not considered alternative sites.

A source from MoEF said, "CIDCO has been asked to carry out a survey of three alternatives sites in Thane district and explain why it never considered these options in its submission to MoEF on September 22, 2010. No survey has been carried out to establish CIDCO's contention that these sites are not feasible. EAC had earlier prepared a report on the basis of CIDCO'S submission. Till CIDCO comes back to MoEF with the survey, permission to Navi Mumbai site will be on hold. We want to know the reasons why CIDCO prefers Navi Mumbai to these sites when apparently greater ecological damage is involved in the Navi Mumbai project."

A senior CIDCO official said the MoEF had asked the agency to incorporate 'suggestions made by EAC' in the plan to minimise ecological damage to the Navi Mumbai site. EAC members will revisit the site on October 18, 2010 to see if the intended changes meet the parameters or not. "We have ruled out relocating the project to any site other than Navi Mumbai. There is no question of any more surveys for an alternative site," added CIDCO official.