The Navi Mumbai International Airport is set to be renamed in honour of late politician and social activist DB Patil, who was credited for his efforts to ensure proper compensation for project-affected persons in the region. The announcement was made by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who confirmed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had approved the state’s proposal to rename the facility as “Loknete DB Patil Navi Mumbai International Airport.”
It was clarified that the airport had earlier been cleared by the Centre under its original name of “Navi Mumbai International Airport.” With the new decision, the revised name will come into official use once passenger operations begin. During the intervening period, a dry run phase will be conducted, including advance bookings and technical readiness checks.
Alongside this development, approvals for the renaming of two other airports in Maharashtra are also awaited. Pune airport is proposed to be named after Jagadguru Sant Tukaram, while Aurangabad airport is proposed to carry the name of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj. The Aurangabad district itself had already been renamed as Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar in an earlier decision. These proposals, it was explained, had been approved by both Houses of the state legislature and by the state cabinet before being forwarded to the Union government. With the Centre currently finalising its policy on the naming of airports, the approvals are expected to be granted shortly in accordance with the state government’s requests.
Fadnavis also indicated that cases registered against activists who had staged protests concerning the airport’s naming would be withdrawn. It was emphasised that this step was intended to ensure that the employment opportunities of such individuals at the new airport would not be hampered. In addition, cases filed during the COVID-19 period would also be withdrawn after following due legal processes.
Meanwhile, a two-day visit to Mumbai by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been scheduled for October 8 and 9. During this visit, a series of landmark inaugurations is expected to be undertaken. According to Maharashtra Skill Development Minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha, the inauguration of the Navi Mumbai International Airport, the commencement of operations on Mumbai Metro Line 3, and the launch of a large-scale skill development initiative will be positioned as a “Diwali gift” to the people of Mumbai.
It has been confirmed that the Prime Minister will land at the Navi Mumbai International Airport at approximately 2:30 pm on October 8 aboard the specially equipped Boeing 777 aircraft ‘India One.’ Immediately upon arrival, the formal inauguration of the much-awaited airport will be carried out. These steps are being presented as part of broader efforts to boost the city’s infrastructure and youth employment opportunities.
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