Navi Mumbai airport land issues to be solved in 2 months: Sanjay Bhatia

There have been allegations that you are not holding meetings or interacting with representatives of the NMIA Project Affected Persons (PAPs), which is in fact delaying the project. What are your comments on this?
These are only allegations and there’s no substance in it. Moreover, whether they (the PAPs) want a concrete solution to the issue or just want to hold meetings unendingly. In fact, we have prepared a 26-point action plan for the PAPs and I am holding meetings with them.

The project has been dragging for over a decade now and the land acquisition for it is still far away. Do you think the project is still feasible?
Though the project cost has gone up several times, it is very much feasible. We should keep in mind that the estimated cost is not to be borne in one go, but over a period of 30 years. The tendering process will start once we are done with the land acquisition process. Further, the pre-development work of over Rs1,900 crore will be done by Cidco, before handing the project to the private party.

With no bidder coming forward for the development of Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL) project and the Navi Mumbai Special Economic Zone (NMSEZ) project is still far away from reality, do you have doubts over the success of the NMIA project? The reason being that each of these project is made to complement each other and the prime reason for no bidder coming forward to construct MTHL has been the uncertainty over the airport project.
In fact, the coming up of the airport project is the key which will give impetus to the two projects, especially to MTHL. Once the airport comes up, private parties will see the benefits of it more clearly and would show eagerness in pumping money into these projects (MTHL and NMSEZ).

So, what are you doing to solve the land acquisition issue for the airport? Is there any solution on the cards?
We expect the land acquisition issues to get resolved within a month or two, so that we can see the first aircraft flying from NMIA by 2017. We have now proposed that the PAPs can get monetary compensation which they will be getting at ready reckoner (RR) rates apart from 12.5 per cent of developed land.
However, since the RR rates will be very low, we will also offer them the chance to get 10 per cent additional developed land instead of monetary compensation.
This will benefit the PAPs as we have got the permission to construct in the area to develop airport. If the airport does not come up, then the land has no value. So, lower will be the value of RR rates.

Do you have the land ready for handing it over to the PAPs, or it will be like another government project wherein the government after taking the nod from the PAPs make them run from pillar to post for decades in order to get their compensation?
Everything, including the land to be handed to the PAPs, is very much clear and ready. All the formalities regarding it are clear. The PAPs should be least concerned about that.

But Cidco has a record for such things. Most of the PAPs of the earlier land acquisitions done are still struggling to get their dues even after decades.
We have come out with several steps to solve their (PAPs) problems and I am sure all these issues regarding earlier land acquisitions will be solved soon.

What if the airport project fails to take off at the selected site in Navi Mumbai? Does Cidco has an alternate site for the project?
The present site is the only site, because it’s the best possible one. We are not looking at any other alternatives.