MUMBAI, July 8: The Maharashtra government is studying a revised proposal on the second international airport, to be built near Mumbai. It could be constructed over 15 sq km land as against 45 sq km suggested by the Hinduja-led UK consortium.

Chief minister Manohar Joshi told the state assembly on Tuesday that if the new proposal was found feasible, it would greatly reduce requirement of land acquisition. It would also pacify farmers in the vicinity of one of the sites at Mandava-Revas near here, who are up in arms against the project.

Replying to supplementaries during the question hour, Joshi said three sites of Revas-Mandava, Navi Mumbai and Mhapan in Sindhudurg district were being surveyed in a fresh pre-feasibility study. This was being conducted by Sicom, Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Agency, Cidco along with the consortium with whom a memorandum of understanding (MoU) had been signed by Sicom. The MoU was signed on May 8, 1997, he said. The consortium consisted of Machen Development Corporation, Ashok Leyland, Maught McDonald, BA Speedwings and UK civil aviation authority. Meanwhile, in a written reply to Prasad Tanpure (Cong), Joshi clarified that government would make efforts to construct an international airport in Sindhudurg district, which had been declared as a tourist district last month.

The World Bank has been given extention up to September 30, 1997 to the railways to fulfil various requirements .

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.