Purandar Airport Update: Land Survey Begins As 94% Of Landowners Give Acquisition Consent

The long-awaited land survey for the Purandar International Airport kicked off on Friday, following Tuesday’s deadline for the landowners to submit the consent letters for land acquisition that started on August 25. 

Reportedly, over 3200 landowners had signed the acquisition consent letters for around 2800 acres of land in Purandar, which accounts for 94 per cent of the total land.

The Maharashtra government earlier planned to acquire around 7,500 acres, but after facing strong opposition from the localities, the land acquisition target was reduced to around 3,000 acres in August.  

Villages such as Ekhatpur, Munjawadi, Khanwadi, Pargaon, Vanpuri, Kumbharvalan, and Udachiwadi will be affected by the upcoming Purandar International Airport.    

In return for the land acquisition, the owners who voluntarily gave their land will receive developed plots equivalent to 10 per cent of the land acquired from owners in the planned Aero City, for which around 700 acres have been earmarked near the proposed Purandar International Airport. Moreover, farmers will be compensated at four times the current market rate.

Pune Collector Jitendra Dudi informed that by October 20, this year, the land survey is expected to be completed, and will be followed by compensation and land acquisition.  

Even though the land survey, a final step before the actual development of the Purandar airport, had started, the process has not been without challenges. As the villagers clashed with police, and residents from Kumbharvalan, Pargaon, and nearby villages opposed the drone survey during the initial stages of land acquisition.

Moreover, some farmers and landowners who missed the consent deadline have appealed to extend, while no official announcement on this matter has been made so far.