Rs 350-cr relief in Navi Mumbai airport project

The package is for the 4,000 families affected by the airport.

Even as the Ministry of Environment and Forests has to clear the new international airport in Navi Mumbai, the City and Industrial Development Corporation (Cidco), the township and industrial infrastructure arm of the Maharashtra government, has proposed a Rs 350-crore rehabilitation package for about 4,000 families affected by the project.

The package, which is to be taken up for discussion at Cidco’s board meeting on June 23, envisages provisions like allotment of preferential equity shares to the extent of 100 shares at face value of Rs 10 in the proposed special purpose vehicle, Navi Mumbai International Airport.

Other provisions include developed land equivalent to the actual loss plus 50 sq mt, subject to a maximum 100 sq mt, an additional land of 10 sq mt to every nuclear family, and financial assistance to the tune of Rs 10,000 towards the transportation cost for shifting.

Cidco sources told Business Standard that the affected families had been offered to purchase additional land at 250 per cent of the reserved price, subject to the extent of equivalent balance landholding or 150 sq mt, whichever is less. However, the total area would not exceed 200 sq mt.

“The project is proposed to be developed on 1,615 hectare, of which 1,140 hectares of ‘on-airport’ area will be used for landing, take-off and other terminal purpose, and the remaining 475 hectares for ‘off-airport’ work,” they said.

“The land belongs to seven villages and 10 settlements are existing within. The project is going to affect the households, minor business activities in the airport zone and some are required to be resettled and rehabilitated. The rehabilitation package is prepared in accordance with the national and state policies,” the sources added.

Further, the package envisages payment of a one-time grant equivalent to 750 days of minimum wages to skilled, semi-skilled and unskilled labourers, or those who lose their employment permanently due to the airport project.

However, Cidco sources said the company “will make best efforts to provide employment to the affected people, subject to availability and suitability of the affected persons”. On June 7, Cidco had submitted an environment impact assessment report to the ministry after holding public hearing last month.