MP calls for expediting Mihan-IAF land swap.

NAGPUR: City MP Vilas Muttemwar on Monday raised the long-pending issue of land swap between the Indian Air Force and Maharashtra Airport Development Corporation (MADC) that has become an impediment in the ambitious Multi-modal International Hub Airport at Nagpur (MIHAN) project.

Mentioning the issue in Parliament through a notice under Section 377, Muttemwar stressed on urgent need to complete the land swap process so that the MIHAN-SEZ project was expedited. He pointed out that as per a memorandum of understanding signed in 2009 by stakeholders IAF, MADC and Airports Authority of India, it was agreed that the IAF, which is occupying 278 hectares of land adjacent to the present Nagpur airport for its transport aircraft operations (Gajraj) would shift to a new place. In exchange, IAF would be offered 122 ha at its present Gajraj site and another 278 hectares at a nearby alternative location.

However, this transfer of land has not been completed though all necessary formalities like due diligence have been done in accordance with the MoU. This unresolved issue has hampered the development work of Mohan-SEZ. The city MP has urged the government to take necessary steps to transfer 278 ha of IAF land at Nagpur airport to MADC so that the project is completed without further delay. The project is already behind schedule by several years.

Source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com