Those displaced by Navi Mumbai airport to join survey

Negotiations are underway for land-for-land compensation

Project-affected persons (PAPs) in one of the 10 villages to be displaced by the Navi Mumbai international airport have agreed to participate in a social and commercial survey. The City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO), nodal agency for the much-delayed airport, will soon start the survey notwithstanding ongoing talks with resisting PAPs. CIDCO has yet to acquire 291 hectares from these 10 villages.

PAPs’ consent for the survey comes on the heels of a meeting held at the Prime Minister’s Office with the officials of Maharashtra government and CIDCO on September 23 to expedite the project.

 

CIDCO official said "The survey will cover present structure of the house, its area, type of construction, member of the family, their education, profession and business, below poverty line, number of handicapped persons. Besides, PAPs will also give details with regard to the total income of the family and number of vehicles."

 

CIDCO chairman Pramod Hindurao and RC Gharat, who is the chief negotiator for PAPs for compensation confirmed that the social and economic survey would be carried out initially in Chinchpada village. The survey is essential to resettle the 10 villages being affected due to the airport development.

 

Gharat told Business Standard "The decision allowing CIDCO to proceed ahead of social and economic survey was taken at the gramsabha of the Chinchpada village." He said that similar survey will be possible in Ulva, Ganeshpuri, Talghar, Kombadbhuje after receiving green signal from the gramsabha of the respective villages.

 

However, Gharat said that PAPs are stuck to their demand for the allocation of 35% developed land on net basis and not on gross basis. "They are not in a mood to accept government's proposal to allot 22.5% developed land. As per the government's 22.5% developed land formula, PAPs will actually get 15.75% which is not acceptable. Thus, the developed land should given on net basis and not on gross basis," Gharat added.

 

CIDCO official, however, hoped an early agreement with PAPs. The airport project cost, which was envisaged at Rs 4,766 crore way back in 1998 to handle 40 million passengers annually, has risen substantially to around Rs 14,573 crore as on date to handle 60 million passengers annually. The rise has been as high as 305.76%. Lack of acquisition of land has forced CIDCO to defer the invitation of request for qualification.