Declare areas in Mumbai airport funnel zone as 'infrastructure affected', help residents: MP Gaikwad

Mumbai: Mumbai Congress president Varsha Gaikwad has asked the civil aviation ministry to declare the area affected by the Mumbai airport runway funnel zone as "infrastructure affected".

In a letter to civil aviation minister K R Naidu, Gaikwad, who represents the Mumbai North Central parliamentary seat, said redevelopment of more than 6000 buildings situated within the Mumbai airport runway funnel zone continues to be in a limbo owing to height restrictions imposed by the civil aviation ministry.

Funnel zone covers areas that are aligned with the runways along the specific paths followed by flights while landing and taking off.

"This has severely impacted the viability of several redevelopment projects, leaving six to eight lakh Mumbaikars residing in Vile Parle, Santacruz, Kurla and Ghatkopar (West) in a precarious situation. The stalled development projects are causing financial hardships to residents," she said.

"A number of these buildings have been in existence before the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport was built. These buildings are in urgent need of redevelopment. Redevelopment of slums too in this area is affected. There can be no compromise on the safety of operations at the airport but the government should consider the issue of families affected by the funnel zone restrictions," she added.

The Lok Sabha MP said transmission towers along with high frequency communications system must be relocated in a manner that does not compromise the safety of the airport, among the busiest in the country.

Similarly, without compromising on safety at the airport, feasibility of revaluation of the funnel line must also be considered, the Congress leader demanded.

There is a delay in formulation of the special redevelopment policy for this "infrastructure affected area" and the civil aviation ministry and the Maharashtra government must work together speedily to formulate such a policy.

"The policy should offer additional construction rights in form of TDR (Transferable Development Rights) to compensate for the loss of development to the extent of its full potential. There must be waiver of various construction premiums to make redevelopment projects in this region viable," she said.