Navi Mumbai International Airport likely to get key land approval in 3 weeks

MUMBAI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi's office is taking keen interest in crucial decisions related to the proposed Navi Mumbai International Airport and a key approval is now expected in less than three weeks, said two people familiar with the development. 

The approval is for handing over 250 hectares of land at Sudhagad in Raigad district by the City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO), the nodal agency for the development of the proposed airport, in lieu of 108 acres of mangroves that will be taken over for the project. The Prime Minister's Office has put the proposed project in the new governance programme, Pragati -- Proactive Governance and Timely Implementation. 

According to CIDCO officials, it has already received permission for the Vadghar project, meant to rehabilitate people displaced by the airport project. 

"Things have been moving quite fast since the Prime Minister's office is now directly connecting with the chief secretary of Maharashtra with regard to Navi Mumbai International Airport project," CIDCO managing director Sanjay Bhatia told ET. The chief minister has also set up a war room and this is also helping in better inter-departmental coordination." 

Bhatia, who spoke on the sidelines of a conference organised by think tank Mumbai First, declined to comment on the likely timing of of the approvals. 

Permission for the rehabilitation project was delayed as CIDCO had to obtain approval from the Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority CIDCO is likely to get approvals for the proposed Pushpak Nagar township close to the airport in the next few days, the people said. 

The Navi Mumbai airport has been delayed primarily because of issues of land acquisition from villages, which led to skepticism from infrastructure developers. The government had initially approved setting up the airport in 2007. 

It was supposed to be completed by 2015 and is likely to be ready by December 2018. Planned as an alternative to Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport located across the Mumbai suburbs of Santa Cruz and Andheri, the Rs 14,573-crore Navi Mumbai airport project is likely to be completed in four phases. The airport will span an area of 2,867 acres with a terminal building of 5,23,000 square meters and two runways. 

Four companies have made initial bids for the airport: GMR, GVK, the Tata Group in a tie up with Ferrovial, and Hiranandani Group in partnership with Zurich Airports. Bhatia recently said the project should be awarded by December. The delays and uncertainty over land acquisition led global airport developers such as Fraport to stay away from the project. Fraport owns 10% of the GMR-led Delhi International Airport. 

Experts have said the success of the airport depends on allied transportation services and routes, including the 22-km trans-harbour link connecting the main city and its satellite arm. UPS Madan, commissioner of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority, said recently that given the timely financing, the Rs 11,000 crore link may be completed along with the Navi Mumbai airport 

Navi Mumbai International Airport project back on track

The Navi Mumbai International Airport has been conceptualised as the eighth largest in the world, spread over an area of 1160 hectares to handle 60 million passengers a year and at an estimated cost of Rs 14,500 crore.

Mumbai's dreams of becoming the first city in the world to boast of two airports never took off as the city developer CIDCO was unable to acquire land from farmers. But this all is set to change, reports CNBC-TV18’s Alexander Mathew. According to CIDCO, the Navi Mumbai International Airport Project has four good bids now.

“We have Vinci, Zurich airport, then GVK, GMR. So all these four are pretty good guys and their offers are now getting technically examined. By mid-April we should know who all qualify. After that they have to submit their RFP --the proposal, the bid which they are making, which is a percentage of gross revenue to be given to CIDCO.

We will be giving them three-four months time to make that offer. So my expectation is that we should be able to finalise the partner by December-end,” said Sanjay Bhatia, Vice-Chairman & MD, CIDCO. The development of Mumbai's second airport is likely to go up by Rs 550 cr as Budget 2015 removed the service tax exemption on the construction of greenfield airports. Neverthless, CIDCO is moving ahead, and has begun issuing tenders for civil work at the site of the proposed airport. This pre-development work is estimated to cost around Rs 2,400 crore, and is likely to begin after monsoons this year.

So what does this mean for residential prices in the vicinity of the upcoming airport? Prices in areas like Panvel, Belapur, Kharghar and Ulwe surged around four years back when the project was announced. In the case of Kharghar, prices have risen from Rs 3,000 a square foot to around Rs 9,000 now. In Panvel, they have risen from below Rs 3,000 a square foot to around Rs 7,000. Real estate consultant CBRE believes prices won't escalate that much once construction of the airport starts. One reason being the airport has already been factored into the current pric

Cidco to go online to clear building plans

NAVI MUMBAI: The City and Industrial Development Corporation (Cidco) has decided to replace the age-old system of manual clearance for building proposals with online applications, promising speedy delivery of plans and early approval.

The decision comes in the backdrop of rapid expansion and growth in the south side of the city, extending deep into Raigad district. With construction activity having gained pace in Ulwe in the wake of the airport development, Cidco is now looking at new cities and townships ? the port city in JNPT influence area, Pushpak Nagar close to the proposed airport with plans of metro connectivity and Naina for which it is the special planning authority.

Mohan Ninawe, senior PRO (Cidco), said that online clearance would take around a fortnight instead of a long wait of a month or more.

Builders and developers will get early clearances and cut the waiting time for their building proposals to be approved with the introduction of auto development control regulations (DCR).

"There are around 100 to 200 proposals per month that have to be cleared and the manual checking takes time. This results in project delays and, at times, can also add to the cost of capital. For early execution of projects, Cidco has decided to opt for the online facility," said Ninawe.

He added that the software is available in the market, but will have to be customized as "DCR is different for our area". The software has been availed by three municipal corporations for early disposal of proposals ? Pune, Kalyan-Dombivli and Aurangabad. The online facility will get started in another three months, sources said. The delay is due to the customization of the software.

सिडको नयना क्षेत्रातील बांधकामांवर हातोडा चालविणार

रायगड जिल्ह्य़ातील नयना क्षेत्रात दिवसेंदिवस वाढणाऱ्या अनधिकृत बांधकामांवर सिडकोने आता लक्ष केंद्रीत केले आहे. १६ बांधकामांची यादी सध्या तयार करण्यात आली असून आठवडय़ाला दोन बांधकामे तोडण्याचे निश्चित करण्यात आले आहे. त्याची ही कारवाई लवकरच सुरू होणार आहे. नयना क्षेत्रातील या बांधकामांवर कारवाई करण्यासाठी सिडकोने खासकरून नवीन शहर प्रशासक सुनील केंद्रेकर यांची नियुक्ती केली आहे.

राज्य शासनाने नियोजन प्राधिकरण म्हणून नियुक्त केलेल्या पेण, पनवेल, खोपोली या तालुक्यातील २७० नयना क्षेत्रात (नवी मुंबई विमानतळ प्रभावित क्षेत्र) सध्या अनधिकृत बांधकामांचा सुळसुळाट झाला आहे. सिडकोने आरक्षण टाकण्यापूर्वी ग्रामस्थांनी आपल्या गावाशेजारीच्या मोकळ्या जागेत टोलेजंग इमारती उभारण्यास सुरुवात केली आहे. अशा ३०२ बांधकामांना सिडकोने यापूर्वी नोटिसा दिलेल्या आहेत. त्याची ग्रामस्थांनी फारशी दखल घेतलेली नाही. त्यात राज्य सरकाराने ग्रामपंचायत हद्दीतील अनधिकृत बांधकामांना दंड आकारून कायम करण्याचा निर्णय घेतला आहे. त्यामुळे ही बांधकामे दामदुपटीने वाढली आहेत.

सिडकोने पनवेल तालुक्यातील ८ बांधकामांवर आतापर्यंत कारवाई केलेली आहे, पण तरीही बांधकामांची संख्या वाढत आहे. त्यामुळे १६ बांधकामांची यादी तयार करण्यात आली असून आठवडय़ाला दोन बांधकामांवर हातोडा चालविण्याचे ठरविण्यात आले आहे. त्याची तयारी करण्यात आली असून पुढील आठवडय़ात ही कारवाई होण्याची शक्यता आहे.नयना क्षेत्रात दिवसेंदिवस वाढणाऱ्या अनधिकृत बांधकामांवर हातोडा चालविण्यासाठी सिडकोचे व्यवस्थापकीय संचालक संजय भाटिया यांनी खासकरून नवीन शहरांची प्रशासक म्हणून जबाबदारी असलेल्या दबंग सनदी अधिकारी सुनील केंद्रेकर यांची नियुक्ती केली आहे. त्यासाठी पत्रकार परिषद घेऊन त्यांच्या नावाची घोषणा आणि ते काय करणार वगैरे याची यादी जाहीर करण्यात आली होती. पण केंद्रेकरांचा हा बार अगदीच फुसका निघाला असून सिडकोने आतापर्यंत म्हणावी अशी कामगिरी केलेली नाही. आता दिवसाढवळ्या उभ्या राहणाऱ्या काही इमारतींची पाडकाम केले जाणार आहे, पण ते केव्हा याबाबत सिडकोने भूमिका स्पष्ट केलेली नाही. केवळ नवी मुंबई विमानतळाच्या उभारणीमागे लागलेल्या सिडकोचे वाढत्या अनधिकृत बांधकामांवर पूर्णपणे दुर्लक्ष आहे. नयना क्षेत्रातील या बांधकामाबरोबरच नवी मुंबईतील २९ गावात तर लॅण्डमाफियांनी अक्षरश: हैदोस घातला असून सरकारने या गावांना वाढीव एफएसआय जाहीर करण्याअगोदर त्यांनी ८ ते ९ एफएसआयची बांधकामे केलेली आहेत. यात सिडको, पालिका, आणि पोलीस यंत्रणा आपलं चांगभलं करून घेत आहे. नवी मुंबई पालिकेच्या निवडणूक काळात तर या बांधकामांना ऊत येणार आहे, पण त्याचे सोयरसुतक सिडकोला नाही

Cidco - Action Plan : 2015

(1) Affordable Housing for economically weaker sections of society

Action Plan to construct 10,000 EWS / LIG houses every year for the next 3 years in order to

meet the burgeoning need for affordable houses.

(2) Social Amenities :’

Action Plan’ for development of

52 – Schools, 

4 – Professional Colleges, 

1 – Degree College,

32 – Hospitals, 

135 – Religious / Spiritual Centres, 

30 – Senior Citizen Facility Centres

286 – Social Welfare Centres including Hostels, Community Centres etc.

Above Social Amenities in various nodes of CIDCO are planned to be developed within

next 3 years.

(3) Public Utilities : MSW Treatment Plant at Taloje

(4) Greening of CIDCO

Nature Park :

In collaboration with the Forest Department, CIDCO has taken up a Nature Park Project costing Rs.

36 Crs in an area of 2000 Ha. This project will have walking trails, regeneration of forests, water

conservation projects, viewing galleries, Adventure Camps and camping facilities, refurbishing of

existing waterfalls and Boulders Park etc.

Central Park :

Phase-II of Central Park, the area in Sector-24 of Kharghar node of 35 Ha.area is to be developed.

48 new Gardens are being developed in the next two years and all old Gardens are being

revamped.

(5) Play grounds, Sports facilities and Golf Course:

a) 61 more playgrounds with cricket pitches are being developed.

b) “Rajeev Gandhi Maidan“ in New Panvel is being developed into an international standard

c) 30 Gymnasiums and Yoga Centres are being developed.

(6) Golf Course :

7 hole golf course of international standard encompassing 68.70 Ha area including facilities

like reception area, restaurant , changing rooms & parking has been developed in Khargharat

a cost of Rs.50.35 Crs.

(7) Smart City

All CIDCO townships are being converted into smart cities with installation of CCTV cameras,

sensors, citizen centric portals, energy& water conservation schemes. LINK

(8) Exhibition Centre at Vashi :

On 7.41 Ha plot area consisting of closed exhibition space of 24288 Sq.M. & Convention

Centre of 11965 Sq.Marea with banquet hall, multipurpose hall & auditorium has been

constructed at a total cost of Rs.256 Cr. It will be made functional with the PPP Operator in

next six months.

football stadium.

(9) Redevelopment of Dilapidated buildings

CIDCO has prepared a model for redevelopment of CIDCO constructed old dilapidated

buildings through private initiative by provision of additional FSI. This is expected to not only

help in redevelopment of these buildings but will also create an additional housing stock for

the poor.

(10) JNPT Influence Area : (JNPTIA) Area – 187.01 Sq. Km.

(11) Professionalization of CIDCO Employees and Officers

Special Training, Research Papers, Meditation etc

(12) New Policy for Allotment of plots for Religious & Social Facilities

(13) Computerization :

SAP GIS Paperless Office

Auto DCR E-Payment Scanning & Digitization

Illegal constructions thrive in Panvel as officials pass the buck

NAVI MUMBAI: The civic body and town planning authority continue to pass the buck, even as illegal construction of residential buildings continues to flourish in Panvel, including the 23 villages that are part of Navi Mumbai Airport Influence Notified Area (Naina) land.

Officials from the revenue department had identified 35 illegal buildings in Panvel area and asked City and Industrial Development Corporation (Cidco) to demolish them. According to a report submitted by revenue officials to Cidco last week, 35 buildings have already come up without requisite permissions from the concerned departments.

They include Nine buildings in Vichumbe, 10 in Devad, two in Shivkar, Usaly Khurd, Chiple and Adai each, 3 in Akurli and Nere each and one each in Vihighar and Harigram. "We have sent the list to Cidco for further action. We will continue our search for illegal buildings," said a revenue official from Panvel circle office.

An official from the office of Chief Controller of Unauthorized Construction (CUC) confirmed the receipt of the report, but wondered why the revenue department officials had not demolished the buildings earlier by exercising the existing authority vested on them.

"Unless our draft plan is approved by the government, we cannot distinguish the legal and illegal buildings in question," added the CUC official.

After Cidco was appointed as the special planning authority for 270 villages under Naina in 2012, it prepared a draft plan for the interim development of the area, which is awaiting government approval. Cidco officials expect the government to okay the plan in January.

With land prices sky-rocketing in Panvel due to the Naina project, residents said many local builders have started illegal constructions without obtaining necessary NOCs and other permission from authorities.

"Some illegal structures have already three to four floors and flats have been sold to buyers. Corrupt officials are hand-in-glove with builders to cheat the buyers. It's time for the authorities to stop the illegal constructions," said Rajesh Chaudhari, resident.

Ohhh My God : Another Campa Cola ?

400 flat owners in Panvel could lose homes to illegal constructions

ANOTHER CAMPA COLA: HC orders status quo after PIL alleges four societies in Panvel have come up illegally.

Occupants of over 400 flats in four complexes in Panvel, Navi Mumbai, are in danger of losing their homes after the Bombay High Court on Tuesday directed the societies/builders to maintain status quo. 

The division bench of Justices A S Oka and A S Gadkari, while hearing a public interest litigation against the alleged illegal constructions in Panvel, directed that construction - wherever it was going on - should be stopped. 

The affected societies that have been constructed on the plot, near the State Transport bus stand, are Ambika Nagar CHS, Aspire CHS, Pushpadham CHS and Neelkanth Landmark. Of these, Neelkanth is a commercial complex and the construction is still on, while people have already taken possession of their houses in the other three societies. The court also directed that if the flats which are occupied or unsold are being sold, the purchaser should be specifically informed about the on-going litigation, and also told that the fate of the said flat will depend on the final outcome of the PIL. 

"A tragedy like Campa Cola should not happen again and the flat purchasers should not claim equity saying we are innocent purchasers," the court observed. 

The court also noted that there was prima facie illegality committed in granting permission to develop the said plots, where four societies comprising various buildings stand. Panvel resident Yashwant Bhagat, represented by advocate Rajendra Pai, had filed the PIL in 2009 after he noticed construction on the plots. On inquiry and with help of the Right to Information Act, he found that the land parcels belonged to the city planning authority CIDCO. 

The land on which these societies stand, constructed/under-construction on four different plots measuring a total of 18,500 sq mt, were originally acquired from local residents by the state government after it envisaged the scheme to develop a satellite city (Navi Mumbai). This particular area then fell under the limits of the Panvel Municipal Council (PMC). 

The CIDCO, represented by advocate Ashutosh Kulkarni, has been supporting the PIL and seeking that the land be returned to the body. Certain portions of the land are earmarked for railways for the Panvel-Diva railway line, while certain other is for Panvel-Matheran road and the balance for CIDCO. 

The PIL alleged that one Jitendra Timbadia got the land converted for non-agricultural use from the Collector, entered into agreements with four different builders/developers and the PMC granted development permissions, despite the fact that PMC had no such powers since the land had already been acquired by the state. 

During various hearings, the HC had directed Konkan's divisional commissioner to conduct an inquiry into the episode. The divisional commissioner, in an affidavit filed in March this year, along with the report, in a way ratified the contentions raised in the PIL. 

However, according to Timbadia, not only the development permissions but occupation certificate too has been obtained for the residential buildings, and hence there is no illegality on his part. 

The CIDCO too filed an affidavit saying that PMC did not have powers to grant development permission since it (CIDCO) was the planning authority. The CIDCO informed the court that the authority had been issuing stop work notices to the builders since February 2009 itself, but they carried on in blatant violation, ignoring its notices. According to CIDCO, it had informed other concerned authorities such as the PMC about the same, but it paid attention only after the HC came into picture. The case will now be heard in January, after court's Christmas vacation.

Civil aviation ministry approves ”share till” model for Navi Mumbai airport

The state-run City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO) has crossed yet another hurdle as the union ministry of civil aviation today cleared its plea for ”share till” approach for the Navi Mumbai international airport on the lines of Delhi and Mumbai airports. 

This was one of the issues on which bidders had sought clarification from CIDCO. The state chief minister Devendra Fadnavis about 10 days ago had personally spoken to the union minister of civil aviation Ashok Gajapathi Raju seeking an early approval of his ministry in this regard. CIDCO vice chairman and managing director Sanjay Bhatia told Business Standard ”Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and the civil aviation ministry informed me about the approval for the ”share till” approach. 

”Share till” means basically part of the revenue generated from non aeronautical facilities will also be used for compensating the airport passengers. 

With this, the project will become competitive. CIDCO now hopes to get competitive bids.” Bhatia said that CIDCO had extended deadline for the submission of request for qualification (RFQ) to July 30, September 2 and October 31 and December 10. 

RFQ was issued on February 5. ”The time has been further extended up to third week of January. No further extension will be given,” he added. TATA Realty and Infrastructure, Zurich Airport, Ferrovial, MIAL, SREI Infrastructure, Samsung C&T, IL&FS, GMR Group, Shakat Aviation, Walnut Aviation, ESSEL Infrastructure and Vinci Concessions India had shown interest in the project development. 

CIDCO is the nodal agency for the Navi Mumbai airport project which needs 2,268 hectares, out of which about 1,160 hectares will be used for aeronautical purposes. Further, CIDCO was in the midst of acquisition of over 600 hectare of private land for the airport project.

CIDCO DRAWS UP ACTION PLAN AGAINST ENCROACHMENTS

High profile violaters to be targeted first, criminal cases to be filed, WhatsApp service for info

G. Mohiuddin Jeddy, Navi Mumbai

Faced with large scale encroachments on CIDCO land in Navi Mumbai and the areas around the proposed airport, CIDCO has drawn up a detailed action plan to counter the menace. First on its radar are the `high profile’ violators who CIDCO plans to target to send out a strong message. It has also decided to file criminal cases against the vested interests involved in the illegal constructions and issued a stern warning to its own officials that they too will not be spared if found to be hand in glove with the encroachers. The nodal agency will also seek information from WhatsApp.

CIDCO has got in former Beed collector Sunil Kendrekar as the chief administrator (new towns), who now also heads the Controller of Unauthorised Constructions (CUC) department of CIDCO to take on the encorachers. Kendrekar is known as a no nonsense officer, whose transfer from Beed was opposed by the local residents.

Speaking at a press conference at CIDCO Bhavan, Kendrekar said, “We have decided to get tough and not spare anyone. I have asked my officers to not just start taking action against the encroachers but also lodge FIRs against them. Officers who do not take stern action against the violators will themselves face the music if they are found to be colluding.”

Added Kendrekar, “I have drawn up a list of 20 encroachments each in Navi Mumbai region and NAINA area around the proposed airport, which belong to the so called influential people of the area. Action has begun with notices being sent to these illegal structures as we want to send a very strong signal to all that nobody is above the law.”

Lamented Kendrekar, “I do not want to talk about the past, but I am certainly not satisfied with the work of the CUC so far. We need to set things right and gain the confidence of the people before things get out of hand.”

Stated Kendrekar, “There has been a problem of staff shortage. There was just one anti-encroachment squad for the entire region under CIDCO. Now I have asked for 4 squads in each region.”

Extending complete support to Kendrekar, CIDCO vice chairman and managing director Sanjay Bhatia who gave details of the action plan, said, “Residents will not be able to inform us through WhatsApp number 8767753114 of any violations. We are also monitoring changes on land through google maps. An MIS report on encroachment will also henceforth be generated detailing, the complaints and action taken.”

Added Bhatia, “To cut red tape, Kendrekar has been authorized to ask the CIDCO engineering department to fence the sites where demolition of illegal structures takes place to prevent the structures coming up again. We are also mapping our plots in the region to keep an eye on them.”

Informed Bhatia, “The administrators in the nodes under our jurisdiction have been provided with mobile squads to enable decentralized monitoring and stop new encroachments.”

Assured Bhatia, “No action will be taken against constructions within 200 metres of village land in the region as that matter is pending with the government for regularization. New constructions on such land will however not be allowed.”

Smart City In charge appreciates Cidco’s smart city scheme NAINA

Belapur: With hearings for objections and suggestions for the pilot project of Navi Mumbai Airport Influence Notified Area (NAINA) set to be held from November 27, the concept has evoked interest and even earned appreciation from none other than the chief of the smart city project in the Narendra Modi government. According to sources, “The in charge of smart city has appreciated the concept of NAINA and wants the model to be replicated in other parts of the country.” 

Cidco has passed a board resolution for development of NAINA area and has submitted interim development plan for the region comprising of 23 villages. The hearing on suggestions and objections will be held on November 27, 28 and 29 at the NAINA office in Belapur. 

Developers from the region had submitted their observation for the draft interim development plan and during the hearing want to make a detailed presentation of the issues faced by them. Elaborating on the plan, sources said, “NAINA is nothing but a smart city scheme. We plan to develop the area into region of the 21st century. If people come together and have minimum 10 hectare of land, then we have an incentive scheme wherein if they surrender 40% of their land to Cidco, they will get FSI of 1.7 for development against the presently available 0.1 FSI.” In addition, the sources said, “Cidco will be getting all the environmental clearances for them and develop infrastructure in the area.” 

The state government had appointed Cidco as special planning authority (SPA) for NAINA, which is in the 25 km radius area of Navi Mumbai airport. Cidco was also entrusted with the responsibility of draft interim development plan with corresponding control regulations. Accordingly, Cidco has prepared a pilot project of 23 villages. Any developer who has to start construction work in the NAINA region have to take permission from Cidco to start the project unlike the practise earlier, wherein it sought permission from local bodies. 

Meanwhile, developers want early decisions on NAINA. Harish Chheda, Navi Mumbai-based developer, however, feels the government should fast track NAINA development. “There is a need for Cidco and the state government to fast track NAINA development. Cidco was, till now, focused on airport development, but they should also cater to other sectors which demand attention.”

CR hastens plan for fast harbour line corridor

The Central Railways (CR) has fast tracked the proposal of creating a fast corridor on harbour line between Mumbai CST and Panvel. While CR has already cleared 70 per cent of the land, CIDCO has to clear the remaining land. 

The proposed elevated harbour line corridor is expected to come up by 2019 and is supposed to run airconditioned trains and cut down the travel time from the existing 75 minutes to a maximum of 35-40 minutes as the alignment would have only 10 stations. The officials said the estimated cost for the project is between Rs 12,000 crore to Rs 14,000 crore. "The basic idea is to help a commuter arriving at Panvel junction to be able to reach south Mumbai from the Pune-Mumbai expressway in 35 minutes," a senior CR official said. 

A brainchild of Central Railways general manager Sunil Kumar Sood, the coordination meeting where the fast corridor was discussed, seeks to iron out issues between the state government, the BMC, the MMRDA, CIDCO and the CR and are being held every Tuesday for the past two months. 

A real-time survey at the coordination meeting has revealed that the project can easily be taken ahead as 70 per cent of the air space required for the 48.3 km long corridor that will be elevated for 31.6 km of the route belongs to the Central Railways itself. However, 20 per cent of the land has to be taken from the Mumbai Port Trust. The corridor will also be at grade for 12.4 km, where it will run parallel to the existing harbour line. The corridor passes along the eastern side of the existing harbour line track more or less from Wadala till Reay Road. After Reay Road, the line skirts the PD'Mello Road into the Mumbai Port Trust area. 

The 10 halts that are being worked out will be in co-ordination with the existing suburban, metro or mono networks. The new terminal for the service will come up towards the east of CST near Carnac Bunder side. 

However, CIDCO has raised certain issues in Navi Mumbai as the planned railway line passes along the existing structures in some areas. 

"At Seawoods station, for example, the Mumbai Railway Vikas Corporation (MRVC) has proposed the fast track corridor at grade passing through Seawood Station. This will reduce one platform of the Nerul-Uran corridor to a single discharge facility," the official said. 

"Land requirement put up by MRVC to the south of Kharghar Railway Station needs to be decided. The location of the platforms in Panvel Terminus for the fast track corridor also needs to be decided," he added. 

Rakesh Saksena, managing director of MRVC, said, "There are a few issues with land in Navi Mumbai. The project will also require support from the state government. The state needs to decide how it wants to implement the project. It needs to decide whether it wants Foreign Direct Investment or any other mode as it involves huge cost. However, it is a feasible project."

CIDCO to hold a hearing for the objections and suggestions for the proposed Navi Mumbai Airport Influence Notified Area (NAINA)

The City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO) 

will hold a hearing for the objections and suggestions for the 

proposed Navi Mumbai Airport Influence Notified Area 

(NAINA) project between November 27-29.


The hearing will be held for the pilot project involving 

rehabilitation of 23 villages which are currently on the land 

on which the airport will be built. These villages fall under 

the notified area.


till date, CIDCO has received over 3,946 applications of 

objections and suggestions related to the project. A special

committee will conduct the hearing at the Belapur station 

complex in two phases. 


CIDCO had invited objections and suggestions on the issue 

between August and October this year. The first phase will 

cover over 2,733 objections and suggestions. A date is yet

to be decided for hearing the remaining 1,213 applications. 


Officials at CIDCO revealed that post-hearing, the pilot 

project may be revised and will be sent to the state 

government for approval. Mohan Ninawe, PRO, CIDCO, 

said, “We are conducting the hearing to get views from the

people and will implement changes in the pilot project if

required. However, if this project is approved and 

implemented, CIDCO will rehabilitate the rest of the villages 

in the same manner.

If Cidco releases payments in time, work can be completed in four years

Cidco holds on to funds, Central Railway threatens to stop work on Belapur-Uran project

MUMBAI: Central Railway has threatened to stop work on the Seawoods-Belapur-Uran double line project as the City and Industrial Development Corporation (Cidco) has not released its share of funds—Rs 78 crore— for 2013-14. The railway board has released its share of Rs 39 crore this year. 

A CR official said, "We have completed 20% work on the 27-km-long corridor." 

Work on the double line project started in 1997, when the project cost was put at Rs 495.49 crore. It was later revised to 1,412 crore in 2010, but the delay has now resulted in the cost spiralling to over Rs 1,800 crore. 

The project aims to connect residents of Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT), Uran, to Mumbai and Thane by railways. In anticipation of the proposed railway line, massive development has taken shape along the route. The project is being implemented on a cost-sharing basis between Cidco and the ministry of railways in the ratio of 67:33. Railway officials said the work progress depended on release of funds from Cidco. 

A senior railway official said, "If Cidco releases payments in time, work can be completed in four years." 

However, the project is likely to run into another hurdle as Cidco is yet acquire and hand over land required for 2.71-km section of the line to the railways. 

Cidco Officials Meet Devendra Fadnavis or Navi Mumbai AIrport

Navi Mumbai airport project gains pace

Navi Mumbai : The much-awaited international airport project in Navi Mumbai gained momentum as most of the disgruntled villagers have fallen in line, literally. The City and Industrial Development Corporation has set the deadline for submitting consent letter on October 6.

“More and more people have come forward to make the airport project a grand success,” said a CIDCO official, adding many more are expected to submit their consent letters in coming days. Now, the villagers were keen to co-operate for the on-going survey and hence there was no need for police deployment for survey, said another CIDCO official.

Those villagers who were opposing the government’s land deal offer from the beginning, realised that the CIDCO’s airport relief package is better than the compensation under Land Acquisition Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, said a source familiar with the development. As the deadline neared, the Metro One in New Panvel was opened on Sunday for accepting consent letter from villagers and would be open on Monday despite being a public holiday.

According to sources at deputy collector office, Raigad, the planning agency had so far received 600 of the 1,350 consent letters and nearly 50% of the R&R (relief and rehabilitation) letters. The houses which were constructed before September 2013 will be counted in the R&R survey.

“Even villagers from Paragon Koli, who were opposing till the last moment, now they were willing to co-operate for the on-going survey,” said a highly placed source.

After visiting deputy collector office, Raigad, it was revealed that CIDCO officials were ready to extend all possible help to villagers including affidavits and any other legal help.

As completing the process of acquisition within two years from the date of notification is nearing the deadline, there is still scope for completing the process of accepting letters and settling claims, said a source who wanted not to be named. As per Navi Mumbai International Airport package, the CIDCO has offered 22.5% developed plots as compensation to project affected people, whose land would be acquired. The State government has offered 22.5% of developed plot with an average floor index space (FSI) of 2.

The villagers would get FSI of 1.5 for 12.5% of developed land and 2.5% for the remaining 10% developed land.

The CIDCO is hopeful that airport deal scheme would be accepted by as the Navi Mumbai airport becomes a reality.

Indra Bhadra

Navi Mumbai airport work to start from Jan 2015

City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO) plans to start pre-development works including relocation of power transmission lines and reclamation of site of land for the Navi Mumbai airport from January.

The pre-development works will commence upon completion of land acquisition later this month.

Pre development and will take over a year for completion and are estimated to cost over Rs 2,000 crore. According to CIDCO's planning the first phase of Rs 14,500 crore Navi Mumbai airport will ready from December 2018.

"We have split the pre development works in parts. Our officials are fine tuning the details with Indian Institute of Technology,'' a senior CIDCO official. Bids for the works will be issued next week, sources said.

Works include reclamation of marsh land, increasing height of land from 0-2 metres to 5 metres above mean sea level, flattening of hillocks, diversion of Ulwe river and relocation of power transmission lines.

The pre development works will be funded by CIDCO and the cost will be included in total airport project cost.

CIDCO is likely to opt for underground cable network in the airport area instead of merely relocating overhead transmission lines through alternate patch of land. This is being proposed as underground cabling will not require much land. A final decision is yet to be taken on the issue.

"Tata Power has got four lines of 220 KV / 110 KV passing through the area. We have given two options to CIDCO - either divert the lines away from the stipulated zone of the airport or convert them into underground cable system bypassing the airport zone. Tata Power would prefer the option of diversion since in that case, the lines can later be upgraded whenever required. However in the public interest, we will accept the option two of underground cable system,'' a Tata Power spokesperson said.

Mumbai's second airport project has been long delayed due to environment clearance issues and land acquisition problems.

But in a positive development last week Bombay High Court directed project affected persons to accept the compensation plan offered by the government by October 6.

CIDCO expects land acquisition process to be complete by October-end. Bidders too have to submit request for qualification (RFQ) documents by October 30.

About 671 hectares of private land is still to be acquired and officials are hopeful of completing the acquisition process by October end.

The project's total land requirement is 2,268 hectares. About 1160 hectares will be used for aeronautical purposes (construction of terminals, runway, taxiway etc).