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Navi Mumbai Airport to Be Named After D. B. Patil, Confirms Minister

The airport is expected to open on April 17, 2025, with commercial operations beginning in May.

Navi Mumbai Airport to Be Named After D. B. Patil, Confirms Minister
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Maharashtra’s Forest Minister Ganesh Naik confirmed that the Navi Mumbai International Airport will be named after D. B. Patil on Monday, February 3. The decision comes after years of protests by project-affected persons (PAPs). The airport is expected to open on April 17, 2025, with commercial operations beginning in May.

Naik made the announcement during a public meeting in Vashi. Atul Patil, the son of D B Patil, requested that the airport be named in his father’s honour. In response, Naik assured that the airport would officially carry D. B. Patil’s name once it starts commercial operations. Later, a press release confirmed his statement. 

The issue of land regularisation and freehold status for LIG and MIG lands was also discussed. Naik stated that he would take these concerns to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. PAPs have been demanding uniform pricing and more land rights for years.

Construction of the Navi Mumbai International Airport began in February 2018. In June 2022, the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government decided to name it after D. B. Patil. The proposal was approved on the last day of the administration.

The Mahayuti government, led by Eknath Shinde, later passed a resolution supporting the same decision. The resolution went through both houses of the state legislature and was sent to the central government. However, the action committee received no response and approached the Centre directly.

The MVA government had earlier suggested naming the airport after Bal Thackeray, the founder of Shiv Sena. But strong opposition from PAPs and the Agri-Koli community led to the final decision in favour of D B Patil. Protests regarding the name have continued for years. 

D. B. Patil is a former MP and activist who led several protests when the Maharashtra government acquired land in Navi Mumbai during the 1970s and 1980s. Farmers and landowners resisted the project under his leadership. In recent years, large demonstrations have been held in support of naming the airport after him.

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