Mangaluru (The Hindu): The pilot project is expected to cost Rs 7,364 crore and is slated to be completed by 2019

he Maharashtra government may soon clear the interim development plan-1 (IDP-1 pilot project) for the Navi Mumbai Airport Influence Notified Area (NAINA), following the Centre’s go-ahead to the Navi Mumbai International Airport.

If this comes through, the 369-sq km island city of Mumbai will get a sister city 1.5 times larger.

The new city, with a total area of 561 sq km, is set to be one of the largest urban developments in the country.

Sanjay Bhatia, Vice Chairman and Managing Director at CIDCO, the Navi Mumbai planning and development authority, said, “We expect the pilot project for NAINA, including 23 villages spread over 37 sq km, to be cleared by the state government very soon. The IDP-2 for 220 sq km is ready with us, and once IDP-1 is cleared, we will publish it.”

CIDCO expects the pilot project, with an expected investment of Rs 7,364 crore, to be completed by the end of 2019 and coincide with Phase-I of the Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA), Mr Bhatia said.

A senior official, who declined to be named, said the new airport is likely to start operations from October 2019. CIDCO expects the pilot project to begin by April 2016, the official added.

NAINA, comprising 256 villages in Thane and Raigad, will come up on 561 sq km, of which 220 sq km will be developed under Phase-2. The planning authority had sent the revised IDP for the pilot project in September.

Land pooling

The NAINA model requires the participation of those who will get developed spaces, along with compensatory floor space index, in return for the land they surrender to CIDCO for the airport project.

Land holders who own more than 4,000 hectare have shown interest in the scheme.

Mr Bhatia said, “We were worried about the response but the land pooling scheme has received tremendous results.

"The land holders of Khalapur have expressed their interest in surrendering their lands,” he said. Khalapur falls under Phase-2 of the project.

Photo credit : The Hindu

CIDCO’s spend on the project will be financed from the sale of 15 per cent land.

The pilot project area is equal to four nodes under NMMC in terms of area and quantum of development, and the projected population is around five lakh.

NAINA is an experiment in land pooling wherein villagers retain 60 per cent of the land area. The remainder will be given to CIDCO. Of the 40 per cent given to CIDCO, 25 per cent will be used for developing infrastructure, open spaces and amenities like schools, religious institutions, sport facilities and markets.

The remaining 15 per cent land will be sold by CIDCO to fund the cost.

There are, however, two riders to the land pooling scheme. The minimum holding to qualify for land pooling is 10 hectare or 25 acres, but this has been reduced to 7.5 hectares to incorporate smaller plots.

“We can think of reducing the minimum land aggregation limit to incorporate more land and make the project successful,” Mr Bhatia said.

(The writer is a freelance journalist)

We expect the pilot project including 23 villages to be cleared soon by the govt

Sanjay BhatiaVice Chairman and MD, CIDCO

With a total area of 561 sq km, it is set to be one of the largest urban developments