Since the proximity of the land to the IAF station meant it could not be developed, there was little scope of providing any benefit to the owners.
Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari directed the local administration on Saturday to speed up the process of providing compensatory land to the Indian Air Force so that the Pune airport can get additional 15.84-acre land for terminal expansion. Gadkari, who also heads the infrastructure committee of the Union government, chaired a meeting to review the progress of infrastructure projects in Pune district on Saturday.
In May 2016, the IAF had agreed to provide 15-acre additional land for airport expansion, if the government provided a land of its choice admeasuring the same area in exchange. Owners of the land chosen by the IAF had demanded hefty amount for its sale. Since the proximity of the land to the IAF station meant it could not be developed, there was little scope of providing any benefit to the owners.
The Pune district administration had sent the proposal to the Urban Development Department, urging it to consider it as a special case as it involved “larger public interest”. The proposal is currently pending at the Chief Minister’s Office.
“The expansion of Pune airport is still pending. Road widening work, parking as well as construction of a new terminal building is yet to start. The Defence Ministry is ready to hand over the land. Get the compensatory land from the private parties and provide it to the IAF so that the expansion can commence at the earliest,” Gadkari told the local administration.