After a six-hour-long meeting, the residents of 10 villages affected by the proposed Navi Mumbai Airport project on Friday gave permission to the City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO) to resume work at the site.
The Project Affected People (PAP) gave the go-ahead after reaching an agreement on 17 contentious issues with CIDCO Managing Director Bhushan Gagrani. Mr. Gangrani said that work on the project site would resume with police protection from Saturday.
One platoon of the State Reserve Police Force would provide security to the workers and anyone trying to obstruct work would have to face legal proceedings.
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The meeting took place at the CIDCO office amid high security as thousands of villagers had protested and stopped work on the project site on October 20.
Mohan Ninawe, CIDCO public relations officer, said: “The work will be resumed from Saturday and 25% of the remaining development work will be completed within the next three months. We addressed all the concerns raised by the villagers.”
CIDCO officials agreed to set up a ₹1-crore fund and grant each of the 10 villages 1,000 square metres of land to construct a temple. Officials assured PAP that the issue of private temples in each village would be taken up with the Chief Minister in next meeting.
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The Urban Development Department will consider for revaluation the earlier approved construction aid amount of ₹1,000 per square feet. Officials also said that 200 people had already applied for 18-month rental scheme introduced by CIDCO in October.
Mr. Gagrani said, “These 200 people are those who have already vacated or are in the process of vacating their land. Of the 2,771 plots, 1,977 are ready and the remaining will be completed within three months.”
Sachin Keni from Chinchpada village said, “The CIDCO officials have also agreed to speak to the Chief Minister regarding the demand to construct an extended roof and verandah to the houses promised to us. CIDCO has also consented tp hand over 200 square metres of land in each village for women to set up Mahila Mandals.
He added, “CIDCO has also clarified that highways authority would provide rehabilitation to villagers whose land is being acquired for road extension.”