Purandar Airport: Land Acquisition to Speed Up as Farmers Agree After Compensation Package Announcement

The land acquisition process for Purandar International Airport has received a new boost. After the state government recently announced an attractive package, initially about 100 farmers have agreed to give their land. This process is being implemented on a 'first come, first served' basis, which includes compensation and developed plots.

Kumbharvalan, Ekhatpur, Udachi Wadi, Munjavadi, Khanwadi, Pargaon Memane, and Vanpuri - a total of 2673 hectares of land from these seven villages will be acquired. Last week, in a high-level meeting chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, the land acquisition package was approved. Subsequently, instructions were given to the district collector to initiate immediate action.

Under the scheme, 268 hectares of land will be set aside to retain a 10 percent return for Aerocity. This has opened the way for farmers to receive their share back in the form of developed plots. Currently, consent letters are being accepted at the Saswad Sub-Divisional Office and the District Collector's Office. An initiative has been taken to acquire approximately 50 hectares, which is 125 acres of land.

In the future, the authority to decide where and how much land to allocate to farmers has been given to the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC). All planning for land allocation for industrial, commercial, and residential use will be done through MIDC.

Under this, according to the 2019 Rehabilitation Act, farmers will receive four times the compensation and 10% of the developed land of the acquired land back. The administration expects more farmers to consent soon.