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Navi Mumbai airport project-hit want more time to shift out of villages
Navi Mumbai The project-affected people from core airport area in Navi Mumbai have asked City and Industrial Development Corporation (Cidco) to give them one month
Navi Mumbai The project-affected people from core airport area in Navi Mumbai have asked City and Industrial Development Corporation (Cidco) to give them one month more to shift out of their village.
The planning agency had asked them to shift by December 15 but the villagers said they asked for an extension as they have an annual puja at Ulwe temple from December 27 to January 3.
The villagers from Waghivli, Targhar, Ulwe, Kombadbhuje and Ganeshpuri are yet to shift out from the core airport area.
Pundalik Mahatre, head, coordinating committee of the villagers, said, “Cidco had asked us to vacate the village by December 15. But, our annual puja is a big celebration where people from other villages join in the celebration.”
“We have told Cidco that we will start shifting out from the villages from January 5. The new temple is still not ready. Hence, we are performing puja in the old temple. Once the new temple is ready, we will shift the deity as well,” said Mahatre.
He said that they are also trying to meet chief minister Uddhav Thackeray regarding some of their demands.
Villagers have demanded rehabilitation of villages badly affected in the heavy rainfall, new fishing jetties, getting priority in jobs at airport and plots for their homes.
Priya Ratambe, public relations officer of Cidco, said, “Villagers have requested for an extension in deadline for shifting out. We have agreed to it. They have said they would shift from January 5.”
“The promised compensation and even increased demand has already been given to affected people. Other pending paper work too would be completed soon,” said Ratambe.
The houses which are near the village have already been vacated and some have also started vacating their homes from core Navi Mumbai airport area.
There are 133 families in Ulwe and 252 families in Kombadbhuje who are yet to shift.
Uday Patil, 40 a Ulwe resident, said, “There are some villagers, who lost their family members last year and are awaiting legal heir certificate. The planning agency needs to clear out all these things, give us all papers before January 5 so, that we can shift out peacefully.”
