Pune: Divisional Commissioner Orders MADC, District Administration To Report Action Taken So Far Regarding Purandar Airport

Pune, 20th September 2022: The land acquisition of the planned international airport of Pune at Purandar is now regulated as per the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation’s (MIDC) Land Acquisition Act.

The Maharashtra Airport Development Company (MADC) and the district administration have been ordered by Divisional Commissioner Saurabh Rao to hand over the documentary report of all the actions taken so far regarding the airport project to the MIDC.

State Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis have announced that the airport project will be carried out at the old site in Purandar. The administration has been ordered to initiate action regarding this.

Divisional Commissioner Rao recently held a meeting with Collector, MADC, MIDC and Deputy Collector level officials appointed for land acquisition. Rao has ordered to hand over all detailed reports of the land survey number determined regarding the old site of Purandar Airport to the MIDC.

The maps prepared by the district administration for the planned airport project, along with the survey numbers of the affected village seats are shared with the MADC. MIDC will also prepare separate maps with its help which will help in issuing the notification.

Deepak Nalavde, Coordinating Officer, MADC, said, “Regarding the work progress of the airport project, the Divisional Commissioner has instructed MADC to provide the MIDC with the survey done for land acquisition, number and account wise maps, layouts and paper reports of the villages so far. Accordingly, the possibility of land acquisition under the MIDC Land Acquisition Act cannot be ruled out.”

The seven villages identified for the Purandar airport are Khanwadi, Ekhatpur, Kumbharvalan, Pargaon, Munjwadi, Udachiwadi, and Vanpuri. These villages come under the ‘Purandar Upsa Irrigation Scheme.’ The locals are against giving their lands as due to the airport’s work, these villages will be affected.

Gram panchayats of these seven villages have given separate resolutions of opposition to Deputy Chief Minister Fadnavis. The administration is inclined to determine compensation options for the affected, similar to Navi Mumbai or Kochi Airport along with the Samriddhi Highway.