Pune: Purandar Airport Project Gains Momentum; 951 Farmers Consent to 1,160 Acres for Acquisition
Purandar,28th August 2025: The long-awaited Purandar International Airport project has finally received fresh wings, with 951 farmers extending their consent for land acquisition till now. District officials confirmed that a total of 1,160 acres has now been earmarked, giving the ambitious project a significant push forward.
The process of collecting consent letters (sanmantipatra) began on Monday, August 25, and within just two days, the response from landowners has been striking. On the very first day, over 750 farmers from seven villages signed up, contributing more than a thousand acres. By the next day, another 160 farmers joined, adding 191 acres to the tally. Officials further reassured that compensation packages have already been fixed for these participants.
Originally, the project had sought to acquire 2,673 hectares spread across seven villages of Purandar taluka. However, after sustained opposition from farmer groups, the state government scaled back the acquisition plan to 1,285 hectares. With nearly 40% of this revised area now secured through farmer consent, the administration believes the project is moving closer to reality.
What Farmers Get in Return
To encourage participation, the government has offered landowners four times the compensation value and developed plots, in line with the MIDC rehabilitation policy. Importantly, only those who provide their consent within the 21-day window (till September 18, 2025) will be eligible for these enhanced benefits. Priority will be given on a first-come, first-served basis.
Consent letters can be submitted at designated offices in Saswad and Pune, where counters have been set up to assist farmers between 10 AM and 5 PM.
District officials described the development as a “crucial breakthrough”, urging remaining landowners to make timely decisions. More rounds of consent collection are expected in the coming weeks, with hopes that the entire required land parcel will soon be finalized.
