Write Comment     |     E-Mail To a Friend     |     Facebook     |     Twitter     |     Print

Rs 1 crore each for temples in Navi Mumbai airport’s path

NAVI MUMBAI: Town-planning agency Cidco will offer Rs 1 crore each to 10 temple committees in villages located in the flight path of the Navi Mumbai International Airport project as compensation for surrendering their land and structures. Cidco, which is the implementing agency for the project, will also grant compensation to smaller temple complexes according to their valuation.

The committees will be allotted suitable plots to relocate these temples in layouts where the villagers will be resettled.

The airport requires relo cation and resttlement of 10 villages, including Chinchpada, Kopar, Kolhi, Ulwe, Varache Owale, Waghivalivada, Vaghivali, Ganeshpuri, Targhar and Kombadbhuje. These villages have around 3,500 households, besides minor business activities and structures, apart from temples. Large age-old temples exist in these villages, which are managed by local temple committees. The temples house idols of village deities and the lives of the villagers are closely associated with these temples.Therefore, any rehabilitation plan has to include these temples as well," said a Cido official.

"A survey was carried out and the temples identified. During discussions on the rehabilitation and resettlement of villagers, Cidco’s managing director Bhushan Gagrani assured project-affected villagers that Rs 1 crore will be granted for one major temple in each of these 10 villages. Therefore, a total of Rs 10 crore will be granted for the 10 temples in these10 villages. Besides, they will also be given plots for rebuilding the temples in layouts where the villagers would be rehabilitated. The assurance was given during a meeting held on December 3 last year," said a Cidco official. "We will grant money to the temple committee instead of building the temples.Temples have to be rebuilt as per the norms," said Bhushan Gagrani, MD, Cidco. "Cidco officials faced frequent resistance over the land acquisition and in relief and resettlement of villagers whose land was being acquired. It has dished out one of the most attractive compensation packages for project-affected persons," said an official.

Cidco is currently in the pro cess of rehabilitating and resettling 3,500 villagers. It has acquired the 1,160 hectares required in the core area. "Cidco is in possession of the majority of the land required, except around 100 hectares. For dwellings of villagers, it will provide plots three times the original size as compensation and an FSI of 1.5."