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People affected by proposed Navi Mumbai airport yet to agree to compensation but soften stance to allow survey of Chinchpada village
The long-standing tussle between the development body CIDCO and a group of project-affected people (PAP) whose land it wishes to acquire for the airport in Navi Mumbai seems to be making some headway, as both groups try to negotiate the path towards a resolution that is mutually profitable.
Eyes on the site: The proposed site of the airport, the acquisition of
which will entail displacing many people from their homes. File pic
In response to some offers made by the development body, the PAP have allowed it to conduct a survey of a small part of the proposed airport site. Both parties have a long way to go, however, before a final solution to the deadlock is achieved.
Six months ago, members of the Navi Mumbai International Airport Project Affected People had prevented CIDCO from carrying out any kind of work at the site set aside for the construction of the airport, unless they were paid Rs 20 crore per acre for their rehabilitation.
The development body had then formed a committee comprising the divisional commissioner of the Konkan division, and local politicians. The committee had offered the PAP two rehabilitation-related compensation options: a) 12.5 per cent of developed land at the ready reckoner rates, in addition to monetary compensation; b) 22.5 per cent developed land in Navi Mumbai.
Small but significant?
In response, the PAP have now allowed CIDCO to carry out survey work in the Chinchpada village. However, they still haven't agreed completely to the compensation options offered by the CIDCO. The PAP pressure group has made it clear that it hasn't yet accepted the offer made by CIDCO, and will reach a decision only when CIDCO fulfils a list of its demands, one of which asks for appointments against pending vacancies in the development body, which are reserved for PAP.
The offers made by the body has, however, somewhat softened PAP's stand. R C Gharat, representative of the group, said, "After a series of discussions with CIDCO, we have decided to allow the body to carry out a survey, only at Chinchpada village, and not at the other nine villages within the proposed airport site. We will allow the airport work gradually as negotiations proceed. We still want our old demands to be fulfilled by the development body, if it wants our land."
Tenders coming up
At the other end, CIDCO has already started developing land at two villages to be given to the PAP. The body is also readying itself to issue tenders for work needed for development of these lands. "We have started developing plots at Dapoli and Vadghar, which will be given to PAP as compensation for the acquisition of their land. We have started the tendering process for development of various facilities and infrastructure at Vadghar and Dapoli," said an official from CIDCO on the condition of anonymity. | 
