Nagpur air project land acquisition terms ‘unfair’

Mumbai: The Maharashtra government’s ambitious multi-modal international cargo hub and airport project (MIHAN) in Nagpur has hit an air pocket. A three-member team of the Congress has called the terms of the land acquisition “unfair” and asked for higher prices to be paid.
The MIHAN project, expected to cost more than Rs 3,000 crore, consists of widening and extending the present runway to international standards (4,000m x 60m) with a provision to pave a similar runway in future. The airport will have parking space for 50 aircraft with 50 additional bays along the fringes. The project features an aircraft engineering and maintenance base, which is likely to be set up by Boeing. There will also be a special economic zone (SEZ) to come up adjacent to the airport.
The government has formed a special purpose vehicle, Maharashtra Airport Development Company (MADC), to implement the plan.
But like many other mega projects across India, this one too has seen violent protests over land acquisition.
The Congress swung into action by sending a ‘fact-finding’ panel following bloody protests over land acquisition. The group, on its return, called on chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh on Saturday and submitted its report.
According to sources, the committee’s take is the price offered to the villagers in return for their lands was just not enough.
06/08/07 Girish Kuber/Times of India

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Categories: Airports Aug 2007, Cargo Aug 2007, New Aug 2007