Arapur MIDC land acquisition delayed due to elections

Lokmat News Network

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar

The land acquisition process for the proposed Arapur MIDC, adjacent to Waluj MIDC, has been delayed after the meeting to finalize land rates was cancelled last Thursday due to the ongoing municipal council elections. Officials said the process will resume only after the municipal, zilla parishad, and panchayat samiti elections conclude.

Entrepreneurs continue to seek plots in Waluj MIDC, but with no land available, many small-scale industries have been forced to buy private plots nearby. To meet this growing demand, MIDC decided to develop a new industrial estate at Arapur. A total of 762 hectares have been identified 9.60 hectares of government land and 752.43 hectares of private land. The state government has already issued an acquisition notification, and Rs 76.02 lakh has been deposited with the Land Records Department for joint measurement. However, farmers have demanded that land rates be finalized before any measurement begins. A meeting between MIDC officials, the sub-divisional officer of Vaijapur, and farmers was planned to discuss rates, but it was called off following the election announcement. With upcoming local body elections, officials expect further delays. “Due to the announcement of the municipal council elections, we had to cancel the meeting at the last moment. Discussions regarding Arapur will now be held only after the election code of conduct concludes,” said Amit Bhamre, regional officer, MIDC.