Pargaon villagers call gram sabha to oppose Purandar airport project

Days after the Maharashtra government issued a notification for acquiring land from seven villages in Purandar tehsil for the proposed Purandar International Airport, opposition to the project has intensified on the ground.

Residents of Pargaon, the village contributing the highest land area for the project, have begun mobilising against land acquisition. A special gram sabha (village meeting) has been scheduled for March 21 to discuss the villagers’ next course of action.

A notice issued by the sarpanch and gramsevak on Monday states: “A special gram sabha of gram panchayat Pargaon will be held on Friday, March 21, at 9am at the Bhairavnath Sabha Mandap in front of the gram panchayat office under the chairmanship of the sarpanch. Villagers are requested to attend on time to discuss the following topic: opposition to the international airport project in Purandar. Additional topics may be discussed with the chairman’s permission.”

The Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) is overseeing the acquisition of 2,753 hectares across seven villages— Vanpuri, Udachiwadi, Kumbharvalan, Ekhatpur, Munjavadi, Khanavdi and Pargaon. Pargaon has the largest share, with 1,605 land survey numbers covering 1,014.507 hectares while Ekhatpur has the fewest survey numbers, at 146. Munjavadi will see the smallest land acquisition, covering 129.323 hectares.

With the government notification now in place, the land acquisition process is set to gain momentum. The detailed project report (DPR) is expected to be finalised by September 2025, and chief minister Devendra Fadnavis has directed MIDC to expedite land acquisition. The state aims to make the airport operational by March 2029.

The Purandar airport project was first announced in 2018, but delays and land speculation led to its stalling. Following the announcement, land prices surged as property agents, investors, and farmers sought to buy and sell land in the area.

Villagers remain divided over the project. “We have called the gram sabha to discuss and decide our stance on land acquisition. Some villagers are open to selling their land at good rates, while others strongly oppose it. We will collectively decide on our next steps,” said Pandurang Memane, a resident of Pargaon.