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91% farmers consent to land acquisition for Purandar airport
Initially, the state government planned to acquire around 7,500 acres, but due to opposition from local residents, the figure was scaled down to approximately 3,000 acres last month.
PUNE: The proposed international airport project at Purandar received a major boost after 91% of farmers in Purandar taluka submitted consent letters for land acquisition. As of the deadline on Thursday, 2,800 farmers had agreed to part with nearly 2,700 acres of land, clearing the way for the government to initiate the acquisition process.
The land earmarked for acquisition spans seven villages: Paragaon, Kumbharvalan, Ekhatpur, Munjwadi, Khanwadi, Udachiwadi, and Vanpuri. Initially, the state government planned to acquire around 7,500 acres, but due to opposition from local residents, the figure was scaled down to approximately 3,000 acres last month. The consent process officially began on August 25, with a submission deadline of September 18.
Pune district collector Jitendra Dudi confirmed the development.
“Within the given deadline, 2,800 farmers submitted consent letters, offering nearly 2,700 acres of land. Once the joint measurement is done, land rates will be finalised and lump sum compensation will be paid. Formal acquisition will follow,” Dudi said.
In addition to private land, around 200 acres of government-owned land in the same villages will also be used, bringing the total available land close to 2,900 acres.
Some farmers have requested an extension of the consent deadline, though no official announcement on this has been made yet.
As part of the rehabilitation package, farmers who voluntarily give up their land will receive developed plots equivalent to 10% of the land acquired from them in the upcoming Aero City, a planned urban zone adjacent to the airport. Approximately 700 acres have been reserved for this purpose. In addition, farmers will receive compensation at four times the prevailing market rate.
The proposed airport will require roughly 2,200 acres for infrastructure, including two runways. Officials have made it clear that this core requirement will not be compromised.
With most of the required land now accounted for, the project has moved significantly closer to execution, a crucial step for a long-delayed infrastructure plan expected to ease air traffic congestion in Pune and boost regional development.
