Villagers hit by NMIA project seek experts' help on land deals

Gone are the days when project-affected-persons (PAPs) of Navi Mumbai used to sell their precious land at throw away prices to builders. Now, they are using smart ways to get the best deal for their lands by roping in professionals to negotiate with potential buyers.

The City and Industrial Development Corporation limited (CIDCO) has already started allotment of developed land through lottery among PAPs of Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) project as compensation for their acquired land.

The people affected by the project will be rehabilitated or provided land in Pushpak Nagar where land levelling work is already underway. If CIDCO's plan is anything to go by, the area will see upscale hotels and commercial projects worth thousands of crores.

The Pushpak Nagar node will be well connected to different parts of Mumbai. A city-based developer said the area which is witnessing drastic change will be a complete new address for Mumbaikars too. Around 3,500 families from 10 ancestral villages will be rehabilitated to different pockets including Pushpak Nagar.

In fact, soon after PAPs received 22.5 per cent of the developed land as compensation, builders started approaching them to buy their land for project development purposes. Senior officials of CIDCO have requested PAPs on several occasions to not sell their properties. It also organised meeting of top banks in order to provide financial support. "We are not educated enough to understand the intricacies of land deal. So, we roped in professionals to get a good deal," said Subhash Mhatre, a PAP.