Navi Mumbai airport to be named after Bal Thackeray

The Navi Mumbai International Airport will be named after Shiv Sena founder late Bal Thackeray, Urban Development Minister Eknath Shinde has said. The airport, coming up in neighbouring Navi Mumbai, is expected to relieve the pressure on the Mumbai international airport.

Bal Thackeray, the father of Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, had floated Shiv Sena in 1966 and served as its chief until his death in 2012.

Some local politicians had demanded that the new airport be named for farmer leader late D B Patil. Eknath Shinde said that the CM has assured the DB Patil Action Samiti that some other project will be named after the farmer leader.

"We have a lot of respect for D B Patil. The Chief Minister has requested the action committee to recommend any other project (to be named after Patil)," Shinde, a senior Shiv Sena leader, said.

"One meeting has taken place (with the committee) and one more will take place. A positive outcome is expected," he added.

City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO), the state-run planning agency which is executing the greenfield airport project, proposed that it be named after Bal Thackeray.

Meanwhile, the BJP on Thursday formed a human chain in Alibaug town of Raigad district to press for its demand to give late PWP leader DB Patil's name to the project. The saffron party has opposed the CIDCO resolution to name the project after Bal Thackeray.