)
Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan today confirmed a surge in the cost of the proposed Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA), while replying to a calling attention motion moved by Congress legislator Sanjay Dutt in the legislative council.
The cost has risen by a record 305.78 per cent to Rs 14,573 crore in 2011-12 from Rs 4,766 crore in 2006-07.
“Of the revised cost of Rs 14,573 crore, there has been a 381 per cent rise to Rs 10,556 crore (from Rs 2,769 crore) only due to the increase in terminal capacity to 60 million passengers from 40 million passengers per annum. Airside works, including the terminal building, have shot up to 72 per cent in 2011-12 from 58 per cent in 2006-07. The unit cost of the terminal building increased to Rs 1,04,046 crore per sq mt from Rs 21,000 per sq mt, which is in line with the international benchmark of $2000 per sq mt,” a Maharashtra government official told Business Standard.
The land acquisition cost surged to Rs 900 crore (from Rs 524 crore), a rise of 171.76 per cent, while the relief and rehabilitation cost surged to Rs 1,200 crore (from Rs 248 crore), an increase of 483.87 per cent. “The increase in land acquisition cost is a major factor for the upward revision in the cost due to the rapid urbanisation of surrounding areas and the enhanced entitlement provisions in the Land Acquisition Act. The rehabilitation cost has surged following the increase in project-affected persons (PAPs) to 5,000 from 3,000 with better entitlements. The expectation of people during the intervening period has gone on the higher side,” the official informed.
The revised master plan now has a high tech multi-level (seven) mid-terminal with a separate three level concourse for international and domestic passengers with a spacing of 1,550 metres between the two runways, parallel end-to-end taxiways, twin elevated connecting taxiways between runways on either side of the terminal. These enhanced features were not part of the initial master plan. Besides, the area of the airport has been increased from 1,140 hectares to 1,160 hectares to cater to the increase in design capacity.
Moreover, re-routing of electrical infrastructure will cost Rs 500 crore against Rs 101 crore, a 495.05 per cent rise. The rise in airport level to 8 metres from 5 metres and ground works have resulted in an increase in cost to Rs 1,225 crore from Rs 713 crore, an increase of 172 per cent.
Prithviraj Chavan’s statement in the state legislature comes at a time when the stand-off between the government and PAPs continues on the issue of compensation for the acquisition of 291 hectares of private land. Chavan and his deputy, Ajit Pawar, will hold meetings with PAPs during the ongoing budget session of the state legislature to expedite the development process.
Minister of State for Urban Development Bhaskar Jadhav has expressed the government’s inability to accept PAPs’ demand for 30 per cent developed land. However, the government had offered 22.5 per cent developed land when the discussions with PAPs were underway.
