Bombay High Court Asks Civil Aviation Ministry To Consider Finalising Policy To Name Airports

The bench of Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice GS Kulkarni was hearing a PIL by advocate Filji Frederick seeking direction to formulate a uniform policy and restrain the Maharashtra Government from making any proposal for naming the upcoming Navi Mumbai Airport till then.

The plea also seeks directions to the Union not to act upon any proposal sent by any State Government till then.

Frederick argued that every time a new airport is to be inaugurated or an existing airport is to be renamed, there is a political controversy around its name.

He submitted that the Central government had acknowledged the problems that arose in naming airports after personalities in a cabinet note of 2016.Frederick pointed out the Minister of State in the Ministry of Civil Aviation's reply to a query in Rajya Sabha, in 2018, where the latter said, a draft policy to name airports after the cities they are constructed in, had been formulated. He added that it was sent for inter-ministerial consultation.

"If it is a draft then you can finalise it. And if there is no policy, then you have a new set of ministers, let this be the work of the new aviation ministry,"the court observed.

The bench was indicating at the Union cabinet reshuffle in which Jyotiraditya Scindia is now the Civil Aviation Minister.

The court added that it had recently taken exception to the large gatherings in breach of Covid-19 protocols following the controversy around Navi Mumbai airport.

Additional Solicitor General Anil Singh said that he needs time to take instructions. Following this the matter was adjourned to July 16.

The bench was referring to a recent rally in the satellite township of Navi Mumbai over the issue involving whose name the yet under-construction Navi Mumbai airport should carry. According to news reports, while the Shiv Sena – one of the ruling coalition partners in the Maharashtra Government – wants it named after Late Bal Thackeray, the Shiv Sena's founder and Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray's father, various parties are opposed to this.

The rally to oppose this proposal was said to have involved locals as well as a few political leaders, with thousands of protestors trying to gherao CIDCO's office building at CBD Belapur.

The court, expressing shock at the numbers, had observed, "We thought it would be 5,000 but the last rally was 25,000. How will you manage Covid? Is this the time to rally? And what is the issue? Naming the airport. Can it not wait till Covid is over?"

[Filji Frederick vs UOI]