With land acquisition becoming a major challenge for undertaking projects in the metropolis, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) plans to follow a model from Gujarat, where land owners are made partners in the developmental projects.
The MMRDA, which plans to develop a 126-km-long multi-modal corridor(MMC) running from Virar in the extreme northwest of the city to Alibaug on the southeastern periphery, is planning to adopt the Gujarat model of land acquisition by making land-owners partners in the project.
“This is a very ambitious project but the major hurdle that we see is land acquisition. We are conscious of the fact that land acquisition will not be an easy process so we will have to think of some innovative ways. We have proposed to the Government to adopt a policy similar to that of Gujarat where land owners will be able to reap the benefits of the project,” the MMRDA Commissioner, Mr Rahul Asthana, said.
Adopting a similar policy could ensure trouble-free land acquisition, he felt.
“The State Government has submitted our proposal to the Centre for approval. Once we receive the Central nod, land acquisition will hopefully be trouble-free,” Mr Asthana said.
The MMRDA has already finalised preliminary plans through a techno-economic feasibility study and the same are being included in the regional transport roadmap.
The MMRDA plans to construct the MMC in two phases with the first phase of 76 km from Navghar near Virar to Chirner near the JNPT, which is expected to be ready by 2017.
This stretch will help connect Mumbai to five national highways including those linking the city with Ahmedabad, Delhi, Goa, the southern States, and the Mumbai-Pune Expressway, and will cost Rs 9,326 crore.
The project is planned on a public-private partnership model.
The second phase, stretching 50 km, will be between Chirner and Alibaug which will cost Rs 3,649 crore.
The MMRDA will need to acquire land worth Rs 1,800 crore for the project. Under the scheme, plans for developing land are formulated as a joint venture between authorities and the land owners.
“We will acquire more than required land and develop it and give it back to the owners. This will increase the value of the property which will be beneficial for the landowner in future,” Mr Asthana added.