Pune: Purandar Airport Project Moves Ahead as Land Survey Begins After 93% Farmer Consent

Purandar, 27th September 2025: With over 93 percent of farmers submitting consent documents for the proposed Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj International Airport in Purandar taluka, the Pune district administration has officially initiated the land survey process.

The survey work began on Friday, September 26, with officials measuring more than 50 hectares of land on the first day. According to District Collector Jitendra Dudi, the airport will be developed over 3,000 acres, spanning seven villages: Kumbharvalan, Ekhatpur, Pargaon, Munjawadi, Khanwadi, Udachiwadi, and Vanpuri.

The Maharashtra state government had earlier announced that farmers submitting consent for land acquisition within the stipulated time would receive 10% of the developed land as compensation. On the final day of the consent drive, 3,220 farmers submitted consent for 2,810 acres, accounting for more than 93% of the proposed land.

Multi-Department Survey Team Deployed
The land survey is being conducted by a joint task force comprising officials from various departments, including Revenue, Forest, Public Works, Agriculture, Maharashtra Life Authority, and Purandar Upsa Irrigation. On the first day, survey teams worked in Munjawadi, Khanwadi, and Ekhatpur.

The survey will take place over 15 days, during which detailed records will be made of fruit trees, wells, water channels, and cultivated fields. The administration has requested that local and non-resident farmers be present during the survey and assist officials by providing details about their land and assets. This, they say, will help ensure a fair, transparent, and accurate valuation.

From Protest to Participation
The airport project has seen significant resistance in the past. After the initial land acquisition notification, all seven villages witnessed large-scale protests, with tensions escalating to the point where police had to resort to lathicharge. The protests had led the Revenue Minister to suspend land assessment activities temporarily.

However, the atmosphere has since changed. Following the announcement of the revised land acquisition compensation package, protests have largely subsided, and attention has now turned to the progress of the survey. Officials confirmed that Friday’s survey work was peaceful, and future surveys may include the use of drones to speed up the process.

Farmers Demand Fair Compensation and Jobs
While many farmers have now agreed to the survey process, several have voiced strong conditions regarding final land acquisition. At a local gathering in Khalad, some farmers demanded a minimum of ₹3 crore per acre if the land is to be acquired. Others emphasized the need for guaranteed rehabilitation, employment for local youth, and adequate compensation to ensure they are not rendered homeless or landless.

“We have allowed the counting, but only under the condition that our demands for fair payment and jobs are addressed,” said a local farmer. “The government must not make us landless. We are open to dialogue, but only if we are respected and compensated fairly.”