Airport project affected people to be duly compensated: CIDCO

The City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO) is committed to ensure that people affected by Navi Mumbai airport project are duly compensated, its chairman Pramod Hindurao has said.

In addition to the training being imparted to the project affected persons (PAPs), they should also take up small trades for which business opportunities would be available during the development of the region, Hindurao said yesterday during the launch of development work at Pushpak Nagar township in Dapoli village of Maharashtra's Raigad district.

Pushpak Nagar township is a part of the compensation package offered by CIDCO to PAPs.

On the occasion, CIDCO managing director Sanjay Bhatia said all permissions required for the new airport were already obtained and the next process for the airport was under way.

"The total land that would come under the airport and allied activities is 2,268 hectares. Of this, 1,572 hectares land that falls in the jurisdiction of Navi Mumbai is already in the possession of CIDCO. Of the rest, 696 hectares belongs to the state government and 671 hectares private land is being acquired for the airport. Ten villages fall in the periphery of this 671 hectare land," Hindurao said.

As per the compensation policy, CIDCO has been giving back the PAPs a developed plot of 22.5% proportion of the land they had surrendered.

The PAPs will be relocated in Raigad's villages of Vadghar, spread over 50 hectares, and Vahal, spread over 40 hectares, in the vicinity of the airport. Thus, they can reap benefits of the opportunities created by the airport and allied activities, he said.

Total 220 hectares land of Pushpak Nagar in Raigad is earmarked for the 22.5% compensation scheme. In the first phase, CIDCO has given administrative approval for the works worth Rs 323 crore.

The project cost of the Pushpak Nagar is Rs 560 crore. It is mandatory for the contractors to sublet 50% of their works to the PAPs. The entire work is expected to be completed in 18 months, he added.