After a year-long tussle between Civil Aviation and Environment Ministries, the Navi Mumbai airport finally got the green signal today. Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh announced the environmental clearance for the Navi Mumbai airport in the presence of Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan and Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel. Addressing a press conference in New Delhi, Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh said the clearance was given on the conditions that 678 hectares of mangroves will be developed in and around the project site.Mr. Ramesh said, river Gadhi will not be diverted besides 30 other riders which have to be implemented to minimise environmental impacts. He, however, said a 90-meter high hillock will have to be removed to smoothen the approach to runway and the tidally influenced waterbody Ulwe will be recoursed. The environment minister emphasized a number of safeguards will have to be implemented to ensure that the environmental impact is kept to the minimum.With the environment clearance in place, the Maharashtra chief minister and civil aviation minister said that bidding process for the development of the airport will be completed and contracts will be awarded within eight to 12 months.Chief Minister Mr. Chavan said that 3,000 families will have to be relocated and expeditious steps were being taken to rehabilitate them. He said the construction of the airport would be carried in four phases. Mr. Chavan said after its completion it would give direct employment to over a lakh people.The Navi Mumbai international project will be developed through Public-Private-Participation mode in which the private party will hold 74 per cent, and state-owned City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO) and Airports Authority of India (AAI) will have 13 per cent stake each.