Pune: As Consent Deadline Ends, Compulsory Acquisition of Remaining Land for Purandar Airport to Begin
Pune, 2nd September 2026 : The wait for farmers’ consent for the proposed Purandar international airport has ended, with the district administration deciding against any further extension and moving ahead with compulsory acquisition of land from those who have not agreed to the project.
District collector Jitendra Dudi said 94% of farmers across the seven affected villages had submitted their consent letters and affidavits by the August 31 deadline. The remaining 6% of land, estimated at around 40 hectares, will now be acquired through the compulsory acquisition process.
“Consent and affidavits have been received from 94% of farmers. The deadline of August 31 has expired and no further extension will be given. The remaining land will now be acquired compulsorily,” Dudi said.
The airport project requires acquisition of 1,116 hectares from Udachi Wadi, Pargaon, Khanapur, Munjwadi, Kumbharwalyan, Ektapuri and Vanpuri villages in Purandar taluka. The state government has offered compensation of Rs 1.51 crore per acre, along with double compensation for trees and wells and 10% of the compensation amount in the form of developed plots.
However, farmers whose land is acquired compulsorily will not be eligible for the developed plots and will receive only monetary compensation. Some farmers, particularly from Pargaon, have continued to oppose the airport project.
The administration has already disbursed compensation to more than 60% of the affected farmers. The state government had released over Rs 1,500 crore to the district administration for the process. Officials subsequently verified land ownership records and affidavits before transferring compensation to eligible farmers.
The consent process began on May 7 but was delayed in several cases due to family disputes over land ownership and pending court cases. The administration subsequently granted three extensions to enable more farmers to submit their consent. With the final deadline now over, officials are set to begin the process of acquiring the remaining land compulsorily.
The development marks a crucial step towards completing land acquisition for the long-pending airport project, which has faced repeated delays over land-related issues and opposition from sections of affected farmers.
