Lokmat News Network
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:
Better late than never, the hurdles which were coming in the way of the Chikalthana Airport expansion seems to have been cleared. The government has issued an order mentioning about the administrative and financial approval to the expense of Rs 578.45 crore to acquire 56.25 hectares (or 139 acres) of land situated in Chikalthana, Mukundwadi and Murtuzapur villages.
The proposal of airport expansion has been pending for a long time. Earlier, the Airport Authority of India (AAI) underlined the need of 182 acres for the expansion. Accordingly, the land measurement process was also completed. Later on, a re-survey was done and it was decided to acquire only 147 acres of land. Of the proposed acquisition, 8 acres of land is under the custodianship of the AAI. Hence, the target is to acquire the remaining 139 acres of land (from the above three villages). Of the total approved expense of Rs 578.45 crore, a sum of Rs 391.50 crore will be spent on land acquisition in Chikalthana village only. Meanwhile, it is hoped that the airport project will now gain momentum.
One thing is clear that the revision in land acquisition from 182 acres to 139 has been made so as to save the existing properties, borewells, wells and trees from getting demolished.
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Status of Land Acquisition
Name of Village - Total Area
Chikalthana - 49.16 hectares
Murtuzapur - 4.25 hectares
Mukundwadi - 2.84 hectares
Total - 56.25 hectares (139 acres)
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Details of the expansion proposal
The air strip will be extended from 9,300 feet (2835 metres) to 12,000 feet (3660 metres).
The extension of the strip (runway) will help safe landing and taking off of the jumbo planes from the local airport, apart from a push to the operations of cargo planes.
The custodian will also expand the taxiway, built parallel to the air strip, for the safety of big planes and avoid untoward incidents in future.
The parking bay will be expanded and a new building will also be constructed.