The model for Navi Mumbai: 74% stake with private consortia while the rest evenly split between the state government and Airports Authority of India.

At Rs 2500-3000 crore, this will be the biggest greenfield airport to be constructed with two runways connected by the 22.5-km Sewri-Nhava trans harbour link.

With no scope to expand the present Mumbai airport, Navi Mumbai was seen as the only answer to address the needs of the country’s financial capital.

ICAO had to devise some complicated air traffic control procedures to resolve the technical questions. It has finally suggested that both airports must have a single radar to control approaching aircraft.

The airport will be built over 950 hectares, of which 95 per cent land has already been acquired by the City Industrial Development Corporation for this purpose. Now that the clearance has come and the site is also more or less clear, the Civil Aviation Ministry is expected to approach the Cabinet soon.

As part of the arrangement for restructuring of the existing Mumbai airport, the GVK-ACSA consortium which won the bid for that will get the first right of refusal to construct the airport at Navi Mumbai.