Farmers Refuse to Surrender Their Land for Phase 2 Works of Noida International Airport

The Noida administration's proposal to acquire agricultural land for works envisaged in phase two of the Noida International Airport at Jewar has been opposed by the majority of farmers. The district government set up camps in Ranhera village to seek farmers' permission to officially commence the land acquisition process for the airport project's expansion and development.

While two runways are presently being constructed as part of phase one of the project, a third runway and other supporting facilities have been proposed in phase two of the project. 

"The majority of farmers oppose the administration's proposal because we demand four times the current circular rate in compensation and stronger rehabilitation schemes.  We also urge that our village homes not be demolished. If that does not happen, we will not give up on our land. We have refused consent in the form supplied to us by the government to register our protest," said K P Singh, a farmer from Ranhera. 

A total of 475 farmers from Nagla Hukam Singh refused to give their consent, however 20 farmers from the same village and 12 from Mundhera (an extension of Ranhera) village agreed to give their property for development. 

The administration started taking the consent of the farmers at the camps from January 7. 

Land from six villages in the project area — Karauli Bangar, Dayanatpur, Kureb, Ranhera, Mundhera, and Nagla Hukum Singh — will be utilized to build the third runway and a commercial aircraft maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) centre. 

Last year, the state government gave over 1,334 hectares near Jewar to the Yamuna International Airport Private Limited (YIAPL), a 100 percent subsidiary of Zurich Airport International AG that was incorporated as a special purpose vehicle (SPV) to develop the Noida international airport. According to the concession agreement, the government must give the subsidiary with 1,363 hectares adjacent to the current airport site for the third runway and future expansion. 

"If the administration refuses to accept our demands, we will not allow the government to steal our land and demolish our villages," Dinesh Kumar from Mundhera village stated. 

The government offers four times the existing circle rate in rural areas and double the circle rate in urban areas for land acquired for development, according to the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation, and Resettlement Act of 2013. 

"Why should we accept double the circle rate as compensation, which is against the rules?" Singh questioned. 

Additional district magistrate of Gautam Budh Nagar Balram Singh said, “We will follow laid down rules to handle any situation arising in the land acquisition process.”