Government takes possession of 1st land parcel for Jewar airport

GREATER NOIDA: A signpost that went up on a farm in Jewar on Tuesday morning marked a momentous occasion. Bearing the announcement, in Hindi, that “this land has been acquired”, its installation followed the government formally taking possession of 80 hectares (around 200 acres) in Ranhera, a village off the Yamuna Expressway, the first of the 1,300 hectares it needs to build NCR’s second international airport here.

The land was acquired by the local administration and handed over to the Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority (YEIDA), which is piloting the project. The administration hopes to take possession of another 15 hectares in Ranhera in about a week as the files of the remaining landowners are in the final stages of clearance.
Ranhera is among six villages in Jewar that will account for the major chunk of land required to build the first phase of the airport, for which the UP government hopes to pick a concessionaire early next year.
Between August 11 and 21, the district administration will take possession of another 500 hectares in the remaining five villages. Officials clarified that over 80% of the land to be acquired in the first phase is agricultural. A part of the remaining land has houses on it while another portion is owned by the state.
So far, the administration has disbursed Rs 1,765 crore for 719 hectares in Ranhera, Parohi, Kishorepur, Rohi, Banwariwas and Dayantpur.
“Starting August 11, we will take possession of 500 hectares in the other villages. We will start with Parohi, then Kishorepur and Banwaribas (August 17), Rohi (August 21) and Dayanatpur (August 25),” said Abhay Singh, deputy collector of Jewar.
On Tuesday, district magistrate BN Singh met farmers in Ranhera from whom land was taken. “The priority now is to finish acquisition of 80% of the land required in the first phase by this month,” the DM said.
After taking possession of the 80 hectares in Ranhera, officials put up pillars to demarcate the land. “Today marks the first physical land acquisition for the Jewar airport project. Similar drives will be carried out in other villages,” said Shailendra Bhatia, officer on special duty at YEIDA and the nodal officer of Noida International Airport Limited, the company handling the project for the UP government.
Most farmers from whom land was taken in Ranhera are satisfied with the compensation amount, though there are some who demand more. “I have about 5,000 trees of safeda, jamun and sheesham on my 4-bigah (about 3,000 sqm) plot. Last year, the price of each tree was Rs 1,000. This year, it is nearly Rs 2,000. We want the amount to be revised,” said Subedar Ganpat Singh (55), a villager.
The DM ruled out the possibility, saying the compensation amount was based on a survey done with video cameras. “Any increase in the number of properties on land after the survey will not be entertained,” he said.