MMRDA accused of fraud in redevelopment of Mumbai Airport

Many respondents who sent suggestions and objections to a notice issued by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), the special planning authority for airport region, alleged that the plan for redevelopment of the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport was a fraud.

As per the proposal, HDIL, a private developer, is to construct rehabilitation colonies for slum dwellers occupying the airport land, while GVK, the company that has tied up with Airport Authority of India (AAI) to transform the existing airport, is to pay for this redevelopment.

At a public hearing for suggestions and objections held by MMRDA, BJP general secretary Parag Alawani alleged that this plan was total eyewash. “It simply means using airport land for commercial purpose. We demand an immediate withdrawal of the plan,” said Alawani.

Meanwhile, RTI activist Anil Galgali has also raised a number of queries. “In the past, the AAI had started rehabilitation of these slums. Shivshahi Punarvasan Prakalp Ltd, a state government undertaking, constructed the pilot project at Saki Naka costing Rs25 crore to AAI. Taking into consideration the increased cost, it would cost AAI not more than Rs1200 crore for entire rehabilitation work.

However, as per the present plan, HDIL will carry out the construction for which it will receive 29.7 million sq ft of TDR. Also, out of the 276 acres of land to be freed of encroachment, 180 acres will be handed over to MIAL for airport development. The balance 96 acres will be commercially exploited. This accounts to almost 6.9 million sq ft of prime commercial property for which the total cost of rehabilitation amounts to approximately Rs20,000 crore. Why is the government not rehabilitating the slum dwellers on its own?” questioned Galgali.