Purandar Airport: Drone Survey to Begin April 9 Amidst Protests, Villagers Plan Hunger Strike
Pune, 4th April 2025: As district authorities prepare to initiate a drone survey from April 9 for the land acquisition process related to the proposed international airport in Purandar, opposition from villagers continues to escalate. Landowners from Pargaon Memane have announced an indefinite hunger strike starting Friday, intensifying resistance to the long-delayed project.
District officials on Thursday held meetings with residents of Ekhatpur and Munjwadi villages to inform them about the upcoming drone-based land mapping and the acquisition process. The proposed airport, which is expected to span over 2,832 hectares, involves land from seven villages—Vanpuri, Kumbharvalan, Udhachiwadi, Ekhatpur, Munjwadi, Khanvadi, and Pargaon Memane.
Varsha Landge, the land acquisition officer overseeing the process, addressed villagers’ concerns during the outreach. “The acquisition will proceed under the Maharashtra Industrial Development Act, 1961, following Section 6 and Clause 2(C),” she said. “We have assured the farmers that they will receive fair and just compensation as per the Land Acquisition Act, 2013. Our goal is to move ahead with mutual trust, without applying undue pressure.”
Despite assurances, farmers voiced strong objections at the meetings. Mahadev Laxman Tilekar, a farmer from Munjwadi, said, “I stand to lose all ten acres of my land. If this goes through, I will have nothing left. How is this justice?”
Another local, Santosh Baban Hagwane, criticized the administration for overlooking gram sabha resolutions passed in opposition to the project. “Why were our voices ignored? You are taking away our fertile, multi-crop lands. And what about the water from Gunjwani dam—will that be diverted too?”
Officials clarified that the airport project will go ahead despite local resistance, and reassured that water from the Gunjwani dam would be allocated for both agriculture and the airport infrastructure.
Concerns were also raised about procedural changes. Tusharam Zhurange, deputy sarpanch of Munjwadi, asked why the project was shifted from the Airport Authority of India to the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC). “We’ve also found errors in the survey numbers. The administration must correct these before proceeding,” he demanded.
In response, authorities said they would investigate the discrepancies and promised transparency. “No Section 32(2) notices will be served without prior consultation,” one official confirmed.
However, opposition in Pargaon Memane is set to intensify. Pandurang Sahebrao Memane, a landowner from the village, said, “Around 100 landowners from all seven villages will start a hunger strike outside the tehsildar’s office. Others will protest from their homes. We won’t back down until the administration listens to us.”
Another villager warned of growing unrest. “Our protest will remain peaceful, but if we’re ignored, our elderly, women, and children will join. Kids will stop going to school to stand with us.”
Rehabilitation remains a key sticking point. Affected families are demanding relocation within Purandar taluka itself. Pune District Collector Jitendra Dudi confirmed the administration’s timeline: “We plan to complete the land acquisition process within the next six months. The drone survey will commence on April 9 as scheduled.”
