CIDCO: Give us land, take developed plot

The City and Industrial Development Corporation (Cidco) has decided to hand over more than 12.5% of developed land to villagers in lieu of their 483 hectare-plot for development of the proposed second airport at Navi Mumbai. 

According to a senior government official, Cidco authorities want to give a satisfactory relief package to the farmers from Panvel.

“We are hopeful that there will be breakthrough in the upcoming meeting with the villagers with the proposal of giving 12.5% developed land in exchange for a 10-hectare plot,” he said.

The government will shoulder the responsibility of providing water and sewerage facilities, and road connectivity to the developed land, instead of the onus being on the developer (landowner), as has been the norm. “Landowners can undertake either residential or commercial projects immediately. The land will be allotted in the vicinity of the airport or near Kharghar and Panvel,” said an official dealing with the farmers.

As per the revised proposal, the Navi Mumbai airport needs 2,042 hectares of land, of which Cidco already has 1,405 hectares . A total of 151 hectares is owned by the state and 485 hectares is owned by farmers. The land acquisition process has been stuck since villagers demanded Rs20 crore per acre.