E-Paper
Pune airport will be constructed at original Purandar site: Shinde
Chief minister also discussed metro rail and High-Capacity Mass Transit Route projects with officials
Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, who was in Pune on Tuesday stated that the proposed airport in Pune district will be constructed at the earlier site identified in Purandar tehsil by the then Devendra Fadnavis government and approved by Ministry of Defence and Civic Aviation.
The CM reviewed the status of various development-related projects in five districts that fall under the Pune division and called for another meeting in Mumbai in the next few days.
At a district review meeting at council hall, Pune, Shinde discussed projects like Purandar airport, metro rail and High-Capacity Mass Transit Route (HCMTR)
Speaking about the proposed international airport, Shinde said, “ Permission for the new site proposed by Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government has already been revoked. Now that we are in power, we will develop the airport at its original site in Purandar tehsil.
During the Devendra Fadnavis-led government, land under Purandar tehsil was identified for the airport although the Uddhav Thackeray led MVA government citing opposition from farmers shifted the project to nearby villages under the same tehsil. The Ministry of Defence then revoked its permission for the project proposed at new land by MVA. The project, that is key to Pune and western Maharashtra, now hangs in balance.
According to Shinde, the land acquisition for the airport will not be done forcefully. “Like Samruddhi Mahamarg, we will carry out the land acquisition process. First, we will acquire the land from those who are ready to give. Simultaneously we will start the discussion with other farmers.”
The original site at Purandar is located through six villages which include Pargaon, Kumbharwalan, Wanpuri, Udachiwadi, Khanavadi and Munjwadi.
“The opposition is from Pargaon villagers. We will discuss the issue with them with them,” said Shinde during his public rally at Saswad where former local MLA Vijay Shivtare was also present.
Shivtare blamed the MVA government for delay in executing the project and accused Sharad Pawar for shifting the project closer to Baramati.
“All the approvals had been received for the first site, but MVA used farmers’ opposition as a weapon to stall the project and the original site was shifted towards Baramati. The landing facility was kept in Purandar and terminals in Baramati Taluka which is not accepted. Like Samruddhi Mahamarg, state government should announce the land acquisition rates and I am sure that farmers will come forward to hand over the land,” Shivtare said.
The new site proposed by MVA was at Rise, Pise and other villages in Purandar Tehsil which is closer to Baramati.
“In the district review meeting, several key concerns for Pune that need attention were raised. The CM, acknowledging their priority, especially those related to traffic and infrastructure, has called for a special meeting in Mumbai in coming days. CM has given instructions to call for joint meeting of the Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation and Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA)officials, along with administrative department heads to expedite and resolve several key issues that have been raised by the citizens,” said Shivajinagar legislator Siddharth Shirole, who was part of the meeting.
Cabinet expansion ‘soon’
Shinde said that the cabinet expansion will take place “soon”. At present, Shinde and deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis -- both took oath on June 30 -- are the only members of the state cabinet
“We will soon expand our cabinet. Even as the cabinet expansion has not taken place, the government is working efficiently. We have taken multiple decisions that are people-oriented, “ said Shinde.
Shinde listed out the major decisions such as reducing fuel prices, financial compensation to farmers, approval to Aarey car shed, and proposed diversion of flood water to drought-prone areas of Marathwada.
Reacting to the controversy over the shifting of MIDC from Saswad to Koregaon in Satara district, Shinde said that whatever decision will be taken is based on technical aspects and the availability of suitable land. “We will take the decision on MIDC after considering the suitable land,” he said.
