3 days Ago By Nisha Nambiar
Pune: MIDC will require Rs4,500-6,000 crore to acquire land for the proposed Purandar airport and a concessionaire would be appointed by December for its construction. Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) CEO P Velarasu told TOI on Saturday that funds would be sourced from MIDC's reserves and financial institutions. "There would be no delay in disbursing the amounts," he said after the first review meeting in Pune on Friday.
He said the land acquisition process , including survey, measurement and actual transfer of land to MIDC for the project, would take at least six months. MIDC has allocated Rs4.82 crore for the land survey and measurement to the district administration in the first phase.
The airport's construction is expected to start in May 2026. "We expect the work to be over by the end of 2028 and start the actual operations at the Purandar airport in 2029," said the MIDC CEO. Pune collector Jitendra Dudi said after the review meeting that the drone surveys would start from April 9.
Individual meetings would be held before April 9 in each of the seven villages in Purandar, from where land would be acquired for the greenfield airport. An elaborate process of hearing suggestions and objections from the residents of the seven villages — Vanpuri, Kumbharvalan, Udhachiwadi, Ekhatpur, Munjavadi, Khanvadi and Pargaon — and other stakeholders would be carried out by the administration, Dudi said. A notification was issued on March 10 declaring 2,823 hectares of land spread in seven villages as an industrial zone under the MIDC Act.
Another senior MIDC official said plots would be acquired under the Land Acquisition Act. It allows direct purchase, whereby landowners are offered 4.5 to 5 times the RR (ready reckoner) rate as compensation.
If they do not agree to the offer, compulsory land acquisition for infrastructure projects comes into play. The official said the land survey and measurement would take about two months, followed by the overall land acquisition process in the seven villages. "We expect to publish the 32 (2) notice under the act, after which the transfer of lands would be carried out," he said.
The Vimantal Virodhi Sangharsh Samiti has been opposing the entire land acquisition process for the airport. The seven villages have irrigated lands. Vegetables, fruits and sugarcane are grown there.
"We will intensify our agitation after our meeting on Gudi Padwa day. We are aware that the govt is keen on going ahead with the airport project, but its representatives have not talked to us. We will intensify our opposition," said Jitendra Memane of the samiti.
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