August 13, 2025: To accelerate stalled redevelopment and slum rehabilitation projects in Mumbai, the Maharashtra government has proposed relocating high-frequency communication towers from Dahisar to Gorai at no cost to the Airports Authority of India (AAI). This marks the fourth letter from the state to the Centre urging the swift relocation of these towers.
Installed by AAI on their land in Juhu, Andheri West, and Dahisar, the towers became a hurdle for redevelopment after a civil aviation notification in December 2020 imposed building height restrictions around them. These limitations have impacted the commercial viability of several projects.
Aseem Gupta, Additional Chief Secretary of the state urban development department, wrote that the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) would bear the cost of relocating the high-frequency receiving stations from Dahisar to Gorai. BMC would also handle the development of the new site, including boundary walls and related infrastructure.
“Approximately 20 acres of land at Gorai shall be made available to AAI free of cost for shifting the HF receiving stations from Dahisar… the land in between the high antenna masts, open to the sky, can be used for afforestation,” the letter stated. The Dahisar land will remain under AAI ownership, but it must be developed into a public garden or park.
The government clarified that height restrictions as per AAI rules will still apply in Gorai. “Also, the existing NOCs, which have already been granted to buildings that are ongoing in and around Gorai, would require reconciliation. This is important for safe air operations in the city,” the letter added.
By offering free land and covering relocation costs, the state aims to resolve a long-standing hurdle for Mumbai’s redevelopment drive while ensuring compliance with aviation safety norms.
Source: The Times of India
