Govt looks at land-pooling for Purandar airport

After introducing land-pooling scheme for Samruddhi Way aka Mumbai-Nagpur Super-communication Way, the state government is planning to apply it to the proposed international airport at Purandar in Pune district. Project affected people (PAP) will probably get an amount equivalent to crop loss over the next 10 years. Meanwhile, Vijay Shivtare, minister of state for water resources (Shiv Sena) who represents the Purandar assembly constituency, said despite protests by villagers, the airport would be operational within three years.

Mr Shivtare said, “When I came to know that sites at Khed and Rajgurunagar had been rejected by the Airport Authority of India (AAI), I met chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and convinced him for a new site in my constituency. He visited the site and approved it.” The minister added that thereafter, he followed up with the AAI and Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and both bodies approved the site in Purandar tehsil for the proposed Greenfield international airport. “The state government is planning to implement land-pooling scheme so that PAP will get assured land in lieu of their own land being acquired as well as assured income for the next ten years,” said Mr Shivtare.

In Purandar, most farmers cultivate jowar, bajri while a few grow oranges.

Asked about villagers from Pargaon opposing the proposed airport, Mr Shivtare said, “Out of 1,200 families from the village, a mere 200 families are opposing and the leader of the protest is an estate agent who had sold maximum land to investors based in Pune, including some politicians.”

The minister praised NCP chief Sharad Pawar for supporting the airport.

AAI in September conducted a survey for the proposed Greenfield international airport in Pune district and finalised nearly 3,500 acre land in Purandar tehsil.

Earlier, surveys were conducted at Khed, Chakan and Rajgurunagar but these places were rejected due to technical reasons and objections raised by the air force as according to them, military operations would be affected if an airport was built in these areas.

Anilkumar Datta, member of Air Navigation Service, AAI, in his letter dated October 20 informed that AAI had finalised site in Purandar tehsil. “DGCA has also approved the site for the proposed Greenfield airport and the process will be pushed in a way that the actual operation begins in the next three years. The airport will need at least 3,500 acre land for the airstrip and allied constructions.” said Mr Shivtare.