Mumbai: With land acquisition for the Nashik ring road still underway, the Maharashtra State Infrastructure Development Corporation (MSIDC) has initiated efforts to monetise land along the proposed road which is being constructed for the Kumbh Mela next year, officials familiar with the matter told Hindustan Times.
“We are yet to acquire the land fully. Ranjit Hande, chief engineer, MSIDC said the ring road would comprise six lanes and the right of way would be 60 metres, along the lines of the ring road constructed for the Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj. The proposed road spans 66 km and 386 hectares of land needs to be acquired for it, he stated, adding, “We are now checking how much more land needs to be acquired for monetisation and facilities like hotels and ancillary activities. “The work order for construction of the ring road must be issued only when 55% land is acquired. But as of now, only 14% land has been acquired,” he said.
But we are appointing a consultant to get ideas on how to monetise land along the road,” Hande said.
“The alignment is being planned in such a way that government officers, politicians and builders whose land is along the route will stand to benefit.
“In reality, at least 40 houses will be affected, and 25 wells, 13 borewells and 16 polyhouses will have to be acquired,” he said. A Nashik-based chartered accountant (CA) who has been opposing the project said a social impact assessment study should have been done before work on the road started, but the MSIDC had sought an exemption.
There are nearly 14 villages which are opposing the road,” said the CA, who did not wish to be identified. “The authorities claim that they want a road for the Kumbh mela. But I can guarantee that the work cannot be completed by the time the mela starts next year. The ring road would pass through the green belt and could affect rains as a lot of greenery will go away, he feared.
He said that Nashik did not need a ring road as the Mumbai-Agra highway provided great connectivity.
