Mihan land muddle hampering IAF plans for airbase

NAGPUR: Uncertainty over the Mihan project seems to have finally put paid to any Indian Air Force (IAF) plans for the city airbase.

IAF was operating a transport base with Russian-made IL-76 aircraft here, but the squadron was shifted last year to the northern sector. Since the land here remains under IAF, it planned to position another transport fleet here, with a probability of the C-130s acquired from US or the airborne warning and
control system (AWACS) mounted on IL-76s being brought here.

However, as confusion over land swap with Maharashtra Airport Development Company (MADC), which is developing Mihan, continues, IAF has now shelved its plans to use the airbase here. There are no plans for the Sonegaon airbase for at least the next year or may be more, say sources in the IAF.

As per a decade old proposal, MADC is supposed to take over the 268 hectares land now held by IAF to set up the Mihan project. In turn, the IAF base will be relocated to a bigger tract of 400 hectares nearby. MADC wants the land as it is contiguous and closer to the existing airport. However, the modalities have not been finalized yet. IAF had agreed to shift if MADC built a runway for it at the new site.

Since it has not been decided where exactly IAF will be finally located, the plans to replace the station with new squadrons have been shelved. If a full-fledged transport squadron of C-130s or AWACS arrives here, a considerable infrastructure will also have to be set up. These include maintenance facilities and other ground duty equipment. With uncertainty over the location, IAF does not want to take any chances. Apart from C-130s or AWACS, a proposal to have a helicopter base was also being considered, said the IAF source.

The officer said as far as the existing airstrip is concerned it is good enough for IAF, so are the other facilities available at the civilian airport. Moreover, Nagpur has its own locational advantage for a strategic base.

If IAF shifts to a new site it will need a runway close by, which is again in doldrums due to doubts over land acquisition by MADC.

Earlier, IAF had drawn up plans for the Nagpur base. Residential quarters were built at the Headquarters Maintenance Command for new officers being posted at Sonegaon. However, a decision on placing a squadron will only depend on clarity over possession of land, said a senior officer posted here.

The land swap between IAF and MADC is a complex and long drawn out affair, involving the state government, union ministry of civil aviation and ministry of defence. There have been a series of meetings, with a couple of them held recently, which ended without any concrete decisions.

Even if the IAF agrees to give up its land, Airports Authority of India (AAI) has claimed lease rent of over Rs 400 crore from 116 hectares land with the IAF now. It contends that the land was leased to IAF from 1987 to 1994, for which the rent is due and interest is accruing. MADC may not get the land till this issue is settled, even though the land will finally go to Mihan India Limited (MIL), a joint venture between MADC and AAI.

Source-TOI

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The state government finally gave an approval to what can be the highest ever compensation for project affected persons (PAPs) in the state, with Maharashtra Airport Development Company (MADC), now being allowed to go ahead with the disbursal of Rs 1.5 crore per hectare to oustees in Jaitala and Bhamti villages. This comes to around Rs 60 lakh an acre, equivalent to what MADC itself charges the investors buying land in Mihan-SEZ.

Project affected persons of Mihan-SEZ stalled the work on building the taxiway leading into Boeing's MRO in the city, as they demanded a better compensation package and early resettlement. Maharashtra Airport Development Company (MADC), is developing a 2.34 km taxiway leading to MRO from airport, spending aroud Rs 80 crore for creating a facility.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/Mihan-project/news