Land deals near Purandar airport to be banned

Real estate agents have started taking benefit of the delay caused by Maharashtra Airport Development Company (MADC) and the Pune collectorate. They have started purchasing lands from farmers based around the proposed airport site and the proposed ring road which would connect the airport with the rest of the city. Now the Pune district administration has initiated steps to curb these activities. It has decided to put a ban on any dealing in lands around the proposed airport area. District collector Naval Kishore Ram made it clear that any further land deal will be declared null and void if the deal is done by nonfarmers. About 2,376 hectares of land are required for the airport, of which only 200 hectares are available with the government. The remaining land has to be acquired from farmers.