Dinesh Kamath's news item 'Government offers PAPs a township if they part with their land' that was published in Newsband

Government offers PAPs a township if they part with their land

By Dinesh Kamath

NAVI MUMBAI: A meeting took place between Chief Minister of Maharashtra Prithviraj Chavan, City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO) Vice-Chairman and Managing Director Sanjay Bhatia and other government officials.

The government is prepared to offer to the project affected persons (PAPs) of Navi Mumbai International Airport a new township spread over 500 acres (200 hectares) that would be owned by them. In return, the PAPs will have to surrender their land for the international airport. Every PAP will be given back 22.5% of their total holding as developed land. This land will be provided with infrastructure such as roads, drains, open spaces, etc. and will be worth Rs 18-20 crore per hectare. This is in addition to a job, vocational training, stipend and other incentives. There are 1,200 families that own 651 hectares, which the government needs for the international airport. The PAPs have been demanding 35% of their land-holding back as compensation.

CIDCO owns 200 hectares near airport on which it proposes to set up the township. According to CIDCO, the land owned by the villagers has no market value as it can't be developed. CIDCO is giving them a good deal by offering them land that is properly developed and in close vicinity to the airport which will bring them huge monetary benefits.

 The demarcation of plots would take two to three months and the creation of infrastructure would take another 18 to 24 months. The airport operations are expected to commence in 2015.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan will meet people displaced by the proposed Navi Mumbai Airport (project affected persons or PAPs) to sort out land allotment for the project.

The government will also consider PAPs' demand to regularise “need based encroachments” carried out by them outside the ‘gaothan’ (privately-owned) area.

The airport project cost has shot up by a record 305.76 per cent to Rs 14,573 crore in 2011-12, compared to Rs 4,766 crore in 2006-07. The proposed airport capacity is also now increased to handle 60 million passengers per annum from the earlier capacity of 40 million passengers per annum.