Around 15,000 people, including project-affected persons (PAPs), farmers and members of the Agri-Koli community are expected to march from Panvel to Mumbai’s Vidhan Bhavan on Wednesday for the long-pending demand to name the Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) after late peasants’ leader Loknete Dinkar Balu (DB) Patil, organisers said.
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The march follows the indefinite hunger strike launched by youth activist Rashmita Popeta that has reignited the airport naming movement just days before NMIA is scheduled to commence international flight operations on July 15.
Organised under the banner of the Loknete Diba Premi Namkaran Samiti, the procession will begin at 10am from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Chowk in Panvel. After paying floral tributes to the statues of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Dr B.R. Ambedkar, protesters will march press Highway to the Vidhan Bhavan.
Social activist Kantilal Kadu said extensive mobilisation had been carried out through village meetings across Panvel, Uran, Pen, Roha, Alibag, Khalapur, Karjat, Thane, Kalyan, Bhiwandi, Vasai, Virar and Palghar. Women’s organisations, artists’ groups, bullock-cart associations, village committees, Agri organisations and several social bodies have also extended support.
“The response has gone beyond political affiliations. Thousands from different communities and organisations have joined because this is a movement for the honour of project-affected families,” Kadu said.
The decision to hold the march was taken at an emergency meeting in Jasai attended by Bhiwandi MP Suresh alias Balya Mama Mhatre, former MLC Balaram Patil, Kadu and representatives of several political parties and community organisations. The meeting unanimously decided to march to Mumbai while the state legislature is in session.
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Popeta, whose hunger strike triggered the renewed agitation, is expected to lead the march.
“This is not a personal fight. It is a fight for the self-respect of project-affected families. I will continue my fast until the governments respond,” Popeta said.
Mhatre said the prolonged delay in formally naming the airport hurt the sentiments of project-affected families.
“Six months have passed since the airport became operational, but the demand to name it after Loknete DB Patil remains pending. The sacrifices made by thousands of farmers and project-affected families cannot be forgotten. We will intensify the movement until justice is done,” he said.
Former MLC Balaram Patil said the scale of mobilisation reflected growing public frustration.
“The movement will continue until the airport is officially named after Loknete DB Patil. The delay cannot continue indefinitely despite repeated assurances,” he said.
Kadu said written intimation about the march had been submitted to chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and senior police officials.
The demand to name NMIA after DB Patil has remained one of the region’s most emotive political issues for more than a decade. Although the Maharashtra Cabinet approved the proposal in 2021, it is still awaiting the Centre’s approval.
In May, the Supreme Court declined to direct the Union government to decide the issue within a fixed timeframe, observing that naming public infrastructure is an executive policy matter.
Last month, Fadnavis reiterated that the state had completed all formalities and was pursuing the proposal with the Centre. Protest leaders said Wednesday’s march will mark the beginning of a sustained agitation until the Centre formally approves the long-pending naming proposal.
