The Maharashtra government is exploring options to have a third airport in Thane district in order to handle the burgeoning traffic.

Maharashtra Air Development Company vice chairman and managing director RC Sinha said the state government asked the divisional commissioner of Thane to identify the land for the airport.

"The collector of Thane is in the process of identifying 1,800 acres of land to build this airport. The government is planning to acquire barren land or other landscape to build this airport," he said on the sidelines of a seminar organised by Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation.

He further added, "This is a 25-year long plan which will be starting after the completion of the second international airport at Navi Mumbai."

The investment and other project details are yet to be finalised. "The concept of a third airport is at a very preliminary stage. In all developed countries, the mega cities generally have three international airports", he added.

Meanwhile, the Cabinet is set to give its approval to the Navi Mumbai airport. Currently, GVK Group is in the process of modernising and upgrading the Mumbai international airport.

GVK will be having the first right of refusal on the Navi Mumbai airport.