In a strong show of public sentiment, over 1,100 vehicles participated in a massive rally on Tuesday demanding that the upcoming Navi Mumbai International Airport be named after late public leader D.B. Patil. The rally, organized on the occasion of his 12th death anniversary on Tuesday, aimed to urge the central government to expedite the naming process and uphold the commitment made at the state level.
The rally was organized by the All-Party Action Committee for Naming Navi Mumbai International Airport After D.B. Patil and witnessed participation from Palghar, Thane, Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, and Raigad, with supporters of D.B. Patil and representatives of various local organizations taking part.
Starting at 11:30 am from the CIDCO Exhibition Centre in Vashi, the rally moved through Palm Beach Road, Reti Bandar, and the airport gate, before taking the outer ring route and concluding at Kalbhairav Mandir in Karanjade, covering a distance of 20 kilometers. The convoy included more than 800 cars and 300 bikes and rickshaws, making it one of the largest rallies in recent times for a naming demand.
According to organizers, the state government has already completed all administrative formalities related to naming the airport after D.B. Patil and forwarded the proposal to the central government, where it remains pending. Rally leaders stressed the importance of issuing the official naming notification before the airport becomes operational, and also raised concerns about ensuring transparent and fair recruitment for jobs at the upcoming airport.
The rally was led by Dashrath Patil, president of the naming action committee. Among the prominent figures present were Bhiwandi MP Suresh Mhatre, youth leader Vaibhav Naik, former MLA Balaram Patil, Rajendra Patil, Nilesh Patil of the Agri Koli Youth Foundation, Manohar Patil from CIDCO Project Affected Committee, Deepak Patil of the Navi Mumbai 29 Gaon Committee, and Nandaraj Mungaji and Sanjay Ghart from the 27 Gaon Sangharsh Samiti. The rally also saw participation from former and current corporators, social groups, and supporters from all five participating districts.
The rally concluded with a renewed call for immediate action from the central government to honor the legacy of Loknete D.B. Patil, a champion of the rights of the project-affected people.
