Maharashtra govt to ramp up land acquisition through consent route

Indicates irrigation, infrastructure and industries development to be done on fast track basis

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government hopes land acquisition for infrastructure and industrial projects won't  face major roadblocks in Maharashtra, as it proposes to carry out acquisition through the consent route.

Besides, the state government has taken a decision to allow private players to directly negotiate with landowners.

This is in the wake of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's announcement that the government will allow its land ordinance to lapse.

The government indicated that the acquisition through consent route will expedite implementation of pending irrigation projects, power, road and airport projects.

Some of the mega projects that will be put on fast-track include the Rs 12,000 crore Mumbai coastal road, the Rs 11,000 crore Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL), the elevated railway corridor, the Rs 30,000 crore Mumbai-Nagpur Superfast Highway, the Mumbai Metro phase II and III. The owners will be offered compensation that was 25 per cent more than what was proposed in the land acquisition Act, 2013.

A senior minister told Business Standard: ''The uncertainty is now over, as the land acquisition has been left to the state governments and the land would be acquired only after the consent of owners. The prime minister's announcement has heaved a sigh of relief for the state, which has so far attracted an investment of Rs 60,000 crore since October 31 and many proposals are in the pipeline. The government will promote direct purchase of land by offering four times its value in rural Maharashtra, in semi-urban areas the land price will be 3.2 times its value and in urban areas it is twice its value.''

A government official said the state-run Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC), which is already in possession of 15,000 hectares across Maharashtra, will further acquire land for industrial purposes through consent route.



''MIDC always offer higher compensation and will continue to do so in future too. The state undertaking had given quite heft compensation to the owners for the proposed manufacturing zones in Dighi and Shendre under the Delhi Mumbai Industrial Corridor,'' the official said.