Mumbai: The Maharashtra government has decided to review the compensation to be paid to acquire the remaining land for the Navi Mumbai airport project, dealing a serious blow to the much-delayed airport's chances of being ready on time. Chief minister PrithvirajChavan told reporters that the Cidco has been asked to suggest whether the package promised to land owners from nearby areas in other projects can also be applied in this case.
Cidco, which is the nodal agency for the project, has acquired about 70% of the land. But it faces difficulty in buying the remaining land due to opposition from land owners who want the compensation to be on par with what Cidco is offering to other project-affected persons in other areas.
Chavan said that Cidco would study whether it can transfer 12.5% of the land acquired from each individual owner to his or her name after development, or provide land elsewhere in the district. "If the land that has to be still acquired needs a different compensation package, the government is willing to rework the package," the chief minister said.
19/03/13 Rohit Chandavarkar/Economic Times
