The Controversy started in December 2020, when the urban development minister Eknath Shinde had written to CIDCO asking it to send a proposal to name the airport after the Shiv Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray.
Prashant Thakur, Panvel BJP MLA, said, “The CM has refused to accept our demand. We are going ahead with the planned protest on DB Patil’s death anniversary.”
On Thursday, The Navi Mumbai Police announced major traffic diversion and increased police presence in the backdrop of a call given by a group of locals to gherao the CIDCO office over the naming of under- construction Navi Mumbai International Airport after late socialist leader D.B Patil.
Around 5,000 policemen, including seven teams of the State Reserve Police Force, Quick Response Team, and Riot Control Force, have been already deployed around the city.
Anticipating a large gathering, the Navi Mumbai police has made massive security arrangements in the city and deployed police personnel to avoid any kind of untoward incident. Around 500 policemen would also be deployed at CIDCO Bhavan where villagers have planned to gather. Additional forces from neighboring districts have also been brought into the City.
While CrPC Section 144 has already been imposed in the area, over a thousand notices under Section 149 have been issued by the police to people who are likely to take part in the protest.
The Navi Mumbai traffic police has also announced traffic diversion in the City.
All the heavy motor vehicles and light motor vehicles going from Mumbai to Pune will be diverted from Airoli toll plaza via Mahape-Shilphata Road to reach Kalamboli, officials said. Vehicles coming from Pune would be diverted from the Purusharth petrol pump at Kalamboli on Sion-Panvel Road to Airoli via Taloja MIDC and Roadpali.
From Uran Phata road to Kharghar, no vehicles will be allowed. Instead, vehicles will be diverted from Bharati Vidyapeeth to Utsav Chowk in Kharghar to avoid the road leading to CIDCO Bhavan. Vehicles will also not be allowed to go via Palm Beach Road. All vehicles on Thane-Belapur Road will be diverted via Mahape Bridge to reach Mumbra-Panvel Highway.
