Govt blasted on heliport

Squarely blaming the state government 8220;for dragging its feet on the issue,8221; Union Civil Aviation Minister Anant Kumar told Express Newsline that his ministry was fully prepared to begin helicopter services from the Mumbai airport to Nariman Point.

8220;The entire infrastructure is ready, and two helicoptors of Pawan Hans are just waiting to be flown in from Juhu airport to begin the sorties. However, in the absence of a heliport at Nariman Point, we are unable to begin the services,8221; Kumar said.

Indian Airlines will also offer tickets right up toNariman Point to make the travel hassle-free for passengers.

8220;Once the passengers land at the airport, they will be ferried to the helicoptor by a bus and they can fly up to Nariman Point on the same air ticket issued from anywhere in the country,8221; the minister explained.

8220;The state government may have its own problems with encroachments and environmentalists, but the proposal doesn8217;t involve huge investment. I have no idea why it8217;s taking so long for the government to take simple decisions,8221; Kumar added.

Meanwhile, the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation MIDC has already awarded a Rs 2.50 crore contract for the development of the heliport on the two-acre area to the city-based Infrastructure Development and Consultants.

The company has set up a consortium with the US-based Dhiru Thadani and Hetzel and Australia-based Cullen Grimmitt and Roe for carrying out the proposed work. The final project will have a terminal building, a car park and other facilities required for the operationof helicopter services, including fire brigade and ambulance services at the spot.

Maharashtra8217;s industry secretary, Yashwant Bhave, said the heliport will be of tremendous use to industrialists, the state government and also domestic air passengers. 8220;The construction of the helipad itself will take very little time, and it could be used by industrialists owning private helicopters and the state government. We do not foresee even getting the Coastal Regulation Zone clearance, as it is development within the CRZ for infrastructural development. quot;However, the heliport8217;s commercial use will take some time as supporting infrastructure will have to be readied,8221; he said. While the government maintains the work will be completed in the next six months, opposition political parties led by the Congress have stepped up their opposition to the project. A delegation of residents of the Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Dalit Nagar slums, where about 500 hutments were demolished during the intensive demolition drive since Mondaylast, met Mumbai collector Sanjay Chahande on Friday and appealed to him to stop the drive.

Member of Parliament from South Mumbai Murli Deora and Member of Legislative Assembly Ashok Dhatrak have already expressed solidarity with the slum-dwellers and threatened to launch an agitation against the state government on the issue.

8220;The demolition of slums has been a dastardly act to appease a few industrialists like Dhirubhai Ambani,8221; said Dhatrak, who has also threatened to undertake a fast till the government shelves the proposal.

Dr Navin Kumar of the Colaba-Cuffe Parade Residents8217; Group has also decided to meet Deora tomorrow and discuss the matter. 8220;The heliport will create unbearable noise pollution in the area, as it8217;s surrounded with high-rise buildings having an echo effect. It will also cause a lot of traffic congestion,8221; Dr Kumar added.