IT CANNOT be just a coincidence that the words “Dream, Development, Delay, and Disappointment” start with the letter ‘D’. Take the case of the ambitious Multimodal International Hub and Airport at Nagpur (MIHAN) and Special Economic Zone (SEZ) project. What was touted as the biggest economic turnaround story for Developmentally backward Vidarbha region, has proven to be a big Disappointment more than two decades later. What has come to the fore is the fact that more than 40 per cent of the land for the SEZ and non-SEZ components of MIHAN project is still ‘balance’. SEZ component has total 1,236 hectares of land pool of which 290 is ‘non-disposable’, that is, land required for roads, drainage line, forest land, canal, landscaping etc. The SEZ component had 945 hectares of ‘disposable’ land, that is, available for investors. However, sadly, only 560 hectares of land has been ‘disposed of’ (sold to investors, in other words). And, 384 hectares -- that is, over 40 per cent of total area -- is still ‘balance’. Similarly, in case of non-SEZ component, of total land pool of 1,013 hectares, 328 hectares is ‘non-disposable’. Of 684 hectares of ‘disposable’ land pool, only 394 hectares has been ‘disposed of’, and 289 hectares -- again, more than 40 per cent of total area -- is still ‘balance’ with the authorities. In several cases, as has been highlighted by ‘The Hitavada’ in earlier reports, the investors to whom the land has been made available have not yet started their units.

 

As such, even the ‘disposed of’ part does not present the true picture of the so-called progress made by MIHAN project in more than two decades. When ‘The Hitavada’ sought to know the details regarding land pool and balance area, Maharashtra Airport Development Company (MADC) officials refused to provide those officially citing various reasons. Officials passed the buck to other colleagues whe details sought. One official even asked, “Such reports might adversely affect the prospects of investment that may come to MIHAN project.” However, he had no answer when ‘The Hitavada’ asked, “If highlighting status of the project after over two decades might adversely affect the prospects of investment, what about the abject failure of the project in achieving desired outcome in these years?”

 

For the record, MADC was constituted in the year 2002 by Government of Maharashtra as a special purpose vehicle to develop MIHAN, and aviation infrastructure in the State to provide regional air connectivity. MADC had equity participation from City and Industrial Development Corporation of Maharashtra Ltd, Nagpur Improvement Trust, Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation, State Industrial & Investment Corporation of Maharashtra Ltd, Nagpur Municipal Corporation, Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation Ltd, as per the information on MADC website. While the land is still ‘balance’ with the authorities, land acquisition issues also are yet to be sorted out fully. According to sources, close to 300 of total around 1,000 project-affected persons (PAPs) from Shivangaon village have shifted to relocation site and others are ‘in the process of shifting’. The PAPs from Dahegaon, Telhara, Kalkuhi have settled in new gaothan. So far, compensation of Rs 486 crore has been paid to the PAPs from whom land was acquired. An amount of Rs 248 crore has been paid as ‘enhanced compensation’ following litigations. And, an amount of Rs 140 crore has been provided for housing construction and as ex-gratia. Given these facts, it becomes clear that either there has been failure of the authorities concerned in all these years in aggressively marketing MIHAN and providing necessary facilities, or there has been utter disinterest of the political powers-that-be, or there has been lack of conviction in turning tall claims into reality. Whatever the case may be, MIHAN has proven to be a tale of disappointment for those who really believed that it would change the economy of the region and provide five lakh jobs as promised.