Purandar Airport: State Appoints Three Land Acquisition Officers, Gazette Notification Issued
In good news for Punekars, the land acquisition preparation is going to pick up pace as the state government has finally approved the proposal sent by the Pune district administration regarding the appointment of land acquisition officers for the Purandar Airport project.
As per the report by Hindustan Times, the appointment order of three officers has been published in the government gazette, and of the three appointed officers, two will handle land acquisition across three villages each, while the third officer will be responsible for acquisition in one village.
Purandar Airport will be built in seven villages as per the circular of the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation and the decision made in 2015-16. A total of 2,700 hectares of land will be acquired for the airport.
Earlier this month, Pune District Collector Jitendra Dudi has said that d acquisition process for Purandar Airport is progressing steadily. The district administration has already initiated the process and is actively in dialogue with farmers. The entire land acquisition is expected to be completed within the next six months, i.e., by October.
History of this airport project
The Central and State Governments, as well as the Airport Authority of India and the Ministry of Defence, have already given the green light to the land acquisition in seven villages of Purandar taluka. Earlier, the notification for land acquisition was issued by the Maharashtra State Airport Development Company. Now, this project has been handed over to MIDC.
The airport, since its announcement, has been embroiled in controversy. Set to be named after Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, the proposed Purandar international airport is seen as a response to the growing operational challenges at the existing Lohegaon airport, which also serves as a base for the Indian Air Force. Initially, Chakan was considered as the location for the new airport, but due to local protests, the plan was shelved. Purandar was then selected as the alternative, offering more space and fewer objections.
Once completed, the airport is poised to significantly enhance Pune's infrastructure, connectivity, and its role as a major hub for commerce, tourism, and international travel.
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