Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has projected 15 lakh employment opportunities under the proposed Navi Mumbai Airport Influence Notified Area (NAINA), including five lakh high-paying jobs. He said local residents should get priority in these opportunities as the government pushes ahead with infrastructure development around the Navi Mumbai International Airport.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, along with Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Sunetra Pawar, on Sunday launched infrastructure projects worth Rs 953 crore to improve connectivity around the Navi Mumbai International Airport. The programme included three bridges, the Uran bypass and the distribution of property documents to eligible landholders.
NAINA projected to generate 15 lakh jobs
Fadnavis said the proposed NAINA city could generate 15 lakh jobs, including five lakh high-paying positions. He stressed that local residents should receive the first opportunity to access these jobs.
The Chief Minister also projected that the Navi Mumbai International Airport could contribute one percentage point to the regional gross domestic product. He described the emerging urban region as an important growth engine for Maharashtra.
Airport connectivity projects worth Rs 953 crore
The infrastructure works are aimed at improving access to the airport and easing traffic movement across the surrounding areas. The projects include three bridges and the Uran bypass, which is expected to reduce congestion for residents of Uran and neighbouring villages.
Fadnavis said signal-free connectivity between Worli and the airport could be achieved within six to eight months.
CIDCO to address land allotment concerns
The development of NAINA has faced delays due to disputes over land allotments, plot boundaries and road alignments affecting existing homes.
Fadnavis acknowledged that errors in plot allotments had affected farmers’ trust in the City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO), the planning authority for NAINA. He said CIDCO had been given special powers to correct errors in approved town planning schemes, including overlapping allotments, incorrect plot numbers and ownership discrepancies.
Under the land-pooling scheme, eligible landholders are entitled to receive 40% of their contributed land as developed plots. CIDCO has also issued a booklet explaining the entitlements of project-affected people.
Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said farmers must receive appropriate benefits and facilities in return for their land. He also said betterment charges had been reduced to zero and a proposal to grant freehold ownership rights was in its final stages.
NAINA and the vision for Third Mumbai
The proposed NAINA development is part of the wider urban expansion around Navi Mumbai International Airport. The government has also notified the 323 sq km Karnala-Sai-Chirner New Town, referred to as Third Mumbai, through the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA).
Fadnavis said Third Mumbai would serve as a new growth engine for Maharashtra. Leaders at the event emphasised that infrastructure development must also improve access to civic amenities and deliver tangible benefits to local residents, particularly farmers and landholders.
CIDCO said it was reviewing plot locations, sizes and road alignments to address concerns raised by villagers and reduce the impact of planned infrastructure on existing homes.
Source: Hindustan Times
