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Sharad Pawar assures fair compensation for Purandar airport project, says farmers allowed only land survey, not acquisition
Farmers from Ekhatpur, Munjwadi, Khanwadi, Pargaon, Vanpuri, Udachiwadi, and Kumbharvalan villages participated in the dialogue
Nationalist Congress Party (SP) chief Sharad Pawar on Wednesday assured farmers affected by the Purandar International Airport project that a fair and mutually agreeable solution would be worked out through a joint meeting with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy Chief Minister and Guardian Minister Ajit Pawar, and representatives of the local farming community.
“Farmers have allowed the administration to conduct land measurement, but that does not mean they have consented to hand over their land,” Pawar said while addressing a farmers’ dialogue session at Khanwadi village in Purandar taluka.
Farmers from Ekhatpur, Munjwadi, Khanwadi, Pargaon, Vanpuri, Udachiwadi, and Kumbharvalan villages participated in the dialogue.
The event was attended by MP Supriya Sule, Vijay Kolte, Sudam Ingle, Manik Zhende, Datta Zhurange, Datta Chavan, and others.
According to district officials, nearly 94% of landowners have given their consent for the survey. “The progress is the result of almost 100 hours of meetings and discussions with the local community,” a senior official said, adding that surveys of about 600 hectares have been completed so far. The total land required for the project is 1,285 hectares.
Pawar said the project should proceed in a transparent manner that ensures fair compensation and dignity for farmers. “The farmers will not be abandoned in the name of development,” he said.
He also cited examples from earlier projects where fair compensation models benefited farmers in the long term. “When land was acquired for the Mumbai airport, we increased the compensation from 12% to 22%. In Hinjewadi IT Park and Magarpatta City, we ensured farmers were paid at market rates and received annual returns of ₹1 lakh per acre for 50 years. A similar model can be adopted here to secure Purandar farmers’ future,” Pawar said.
Sule echoed his views and criticised the state government for failing to address farmers’ concerns. “Farmers are central to this issue. Any decision must safeguard their rights. The government has failed to provide effective relief and continues to ignore their distress. We will not allow any injustice,” she said.
