Survey Completed, Acquisition Begins: The survey work for the Purandar International Airport near Pune has been completed, and the district administration has been instructed to begin land acquisition immediately.
Compensation Finalized: it was decided that farmers giving land willingly will receive 10% of developed land plus four times the current market value.
Farmer Objections Addressed: The compensation policy aims to reduce opposition, allowing smoother acquisition.
Pune, 18 July 2025: In a significant step forward for the long-stalled Purandar International Airport project near Pune, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has confirmed that the survey work for the greenfield airport has been completed. The Pune District Collector has now been directed to initiate land acquisition immediately to ensure the swift commencement of the project.
The airport, set to come up in the Purandar region, has faced prolonged delays due to unresolved land acquisition issues and farmer protests. However, a high-level meeting held in Mumbai on Thursday, chaired by CM Fadnavis and attended by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and other senior officials, has unlocked the process by approving a new compensation package for the affected farmers.
As per the revised plan, farmers who voluntarily part with their land will be granted 10% of their acquired land back in the form of developed plots. Additionally, they will receive cash compensation equal to four times the current market rate of their land. Those who refuse to give land willingly will still receive the fourfold compensation but will not be eligible for the 10% developed land return.
The land acquisition will cover approximately 2,673 hectares across seven villages, Vanpuri, Udachiwadi, Kumbharvalan, Ekhatpur, Munjwadi, Khanwadi, and Pargaon. Earlier, the district administration had issued acquisition notices, leading to over 2,000 objections from farmers. While some supported the project during the month-long hearings, many remained opposed.
The state has now chosen to proceed with acquisition under the 2013 MIDC Act, which previously lacked provisions for rehabilitation. This revised decision addresses the key concern by introducing both land and monetary compensation. The government also assured that job opportunities would be provided to affected families in related infrastructure projects.
Chief Minister Fadnavis instructed the administration to expedite land demarcation and acquisition so that construction could begin without further delays. Deputy CM Pawar emphasized the need for facilities that could accommodate large aircraft and aircraft hangars at the upcoming airport.
District Collector Jitendra Dudi expressed confidence that the updated compensation policy would significantly reduce resistance from farmers and accelerate land acquisition. He added that once the joint land measurement is complete, compensation disbursement and formal acquisition would begin shortly.