Mumbai (PTI): The Navi Mumbai International Airport will be named after the people's leader, late D B Patil, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said, asserting that the facility will play a key role in the region's economic expansion.

Addressing a public meeting in Airoli during the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation election campaign, Fadnavis said, "The international airport started in Navi Mumbai will be named after the people's leader late D B Patil," and added that the project would strengthen growth in multiple sectors.

Fadnavis said Navi Mumbai is an extension of Mumbai and will emerge as the next engine of economic growth.

He said the airport would support sectors such as pharmaceuticals, innovation, food processing, services, and import-export, enabling the city to expand its economic base.

"Various infrastructure projects are underway to address traffic congestion, including a new junction at Kalamboli and the Kharghar-Turbhe tunnel. A metro network was being developed through CIDCO to improve connectivity across the city," he said.

Fadnavis added that the Shilar and Poshir projects would address the drinking water needs of Navi Mumbai residents in the coming days.

"An EduCity would be developed in Navi Mumbai, which would attract leading universities from across the world and provide education and employment opportunities to students locally," the chief minister said.

Addressing housing concerns, he said redevelopment of houses at the Ghansoli simplex would be undertaken, while the APMC market would be developed at the same location.

He added that tenders had been floated for a multi-speciality hospital in Belapur and work on a central library at Manpada had also begun.

Fadnavis said the government would introduce schemes for the fishermen community and locals.

He appealed to voters to elect BJP candidates with a large majority on January 15, stating that the government would take responsibility for the city's development over the next five years.

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Dhanbad (Jharkhand) (PTI): At least four workers died after being buried under coal slurry in Jharkhand's Dhanbad district on Saturday, a police official said.

The incident took place at Moonidih coal washery in the command area of Bharat Coking Coal Limited (BCCL).

"Bodies of all four workers were dug out of debris during a rescue operation," Putki police station in-charge Waqar Hussain told PTI.

The incident took place when coal slurry was being loaded into trucks by workers, during which a large chunk of slurry fell and trapped several workers underneath, officials said.

The deceased have been identified as Manik Bauri, Dinesh Bauri, Deepak Bauri, and Hemlal Gope.

Meanwhile, the family members of the deceased and local villagers placed the bodies in front of the washery gate and began a protest.

They demanded compensation, jobs for dependents and action against those responsible for the incident.

Police and administration officials are trying to pacify the protesters, an official said.