Panvel MLA Prashant Thakur has assured villagers to prevent any further progress on the Navi Mumbai Airport Influence Notified Area (NAINA) project until the concerns of the local community are fully addressed. Thakur made this announcement during the inauguration of a new public relations office for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Chiple village, Panvel Taluka.
A section of villagers has been opposing the NAINA project, claiming that they are not receiving adequate compensation for the land they will surrender. They also argue that the portion of developed land they will receive in return is insufficient. In the past, the villagers have organized multiple protests, including forming a human chain, to express their discontent.
Advocate Suresh Thakur, Chairman of the All Officers and Members Navi Mumbai 95 Villages NAINA and Other Project Affected Committee, stated that the villagers have made it clear that they oppose the project as it threatens their primary source of income—agriculture.
NAINA is a participatory land-pooling scheme under which villagers receive 40% of developed land in exchange for the total land they surrender to develop the NAINA city in Raigad district. Currently, CIDCO is executing a pilot project involving 23 villages in the district.
Villagers are particularly concerned about an impact assessment report indicating that approximately 42% of the land under NAINA is multi-crop land. "How will the villagers survive if they surrender these lands and receive only 40% of developed land in return?" one villager questioned. Moreover, we will still have to pay various charges for development."
During his election campaign, Thakur, who is running for re-election in the Panvel assembly constituency, assured villagers that no further construction would take place until their issues are addressed.
Thakur also underscored the BJP's dedication to working closely with the local community, stressing that the newly inaugurated office will continue to serve residents even after the elections. He described the office as a resource for villagers to raise concerns and seek solutions to their problems.