The City & Industrial Development Corporation (Cidco), which is a nodal agency for the development of Navi Mumbai international airport, has proposed handing over of a total of 22.5% of developed land instead of a monetary compensation of Rs 20 crore per acre as proposed by the project-affected people from 10 villages. The proposed land would be provided by the Cidco management in Navi Mumbai and the villagers would be entitled to use portion of the developed land for the residential and commercial purposes.
Of the total 2,020 hectare of land required for the airport project, nearly 1,400 hectare was in Cidco's possession while the state government has agreed to hand over its 150 hectare for the project. Cidco needs another 450 hectare of private land for which notices have been served under the Land Acquisition Act, 1894.
Cidco's proposal for providing 22.5% developed land was currently being discussed by the management and the representatives of the project affected persons from 10 villages at the high level committee chaired by the Konkan divisional commissioner SS Sandhu.
Pramod Hindurao, chairman of Cidco told Business Standard "Negotiations are currently progressing over the acquisition of nearly 450 hectare of land from 10 villages. We have proposed to give 22.5% developed land to the villagers instead of a monetary compensation to which villagers have responded positively. Of the 22.5% land, the villagers will be entitled to get 12.5% developed land as per the decision taken by the Sharad Pawar led government in 1990 for all project affected persons in Navi Mumbai. In fact, we are offering 10% more developed land." Hindurao hoped the issue would be settled soon which would be pave way for clearance for the request for qualification (RFQ) by the central government.
RC Gharat, advisor to the project affected persons from 18 villages said that the villagers were in favour of Cidco's proposal to provided 22.5% developed land. "However, the discussions at the Sandhu committee should be expedited. Cidco and the district administration need to fix the villagers and then take a decision on providing 22.5% developed land. The Land Acquisition Bill moved by the central government and currently being discussed at the joint select committee of the parliament has a proposal to give a portion of developed land to the project affected persons," he noted. Gharat reiterated that Sandhu committee and Cidco management should regularly hold discussions for arriving at an early settlement.
Cidco official, who did not want to be identified, said due to lack of acquisition of 450 hectare of private land its RFQ was pending for clearance since January with the central government. Further, the state government and Cidco have already petitioned the central government to transfer the airport project under the provisions of Greenfield Airports Policy, 2008. If the Centre accepts state's demand for transfer of the entire project then in that case all the approvals would be taken from the state government. Further, Cidco would be able to issue RFQ at the earliest. Cidco was examining both revenue share model and viability gap funding (VGF) option which can be used to select the developer.
Cidco hopes the first phase to be commissioned in 2015 with an investment of Rs 9,150 crore. The total project cost has been pegged at Rs 14,573 crore.
