Mumbai: The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has begun the process for acquiring land for the first phase of the proposed Rs 58,754.71-crore Uttan-Virar sea link by issuing a 15-day notice to landowners in Uttan village to indicate whether they are willing to part with their land through private negotiations.The authority plans to acquire 104.2851 hectares of land for the project, which the state govt has recently approved along with its detailed project report (DPR) and implementation strategy.The project, which will eventually be renamed the Mumbai-Vadhavan Expressway Connectivity, has been accorded the status of an “Ambitious Urban Transport Project” and an “Urgent Public Project” to expedite execution.A public notice issued by Ajinkya Padwal, additional collector and deputy metropolitan commissioner, MMRDA, said the land acquisition is being carried out under Section 126(1)(a) and (b) of the Maharashtra Regional and Town Planning (MRTP) Act, 1966. Under the provisions, landowners can either enter into negotiated settlements and receive monetary compensation or opt for compensation through Floor Space Index (FSI) and Transferable Development Rights (TDR).The state govt will provide Rs 11,116.27 crore as non-interest financial support for the project. The assistance includes taxes payable to the Centre and state govt, Rs 2,619 crore towards land acquisition and Rs 261 crore for rehabilitation and resettlement. The remaining project cost will be financed through MMRDA’s internal resources and borrowings.Landowners, occupants, tenants and other stakeholders whose names appear in the 7/12 extracts for the notified survey numbers have been asked to submit their written consent for private negotiations to the additional collector’s office in Bandra East within 15 days.MMRDA has stated that if consent is not received within the stipulated period, it will initiate compulsory acquisition proceedings under the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013.Government land required for the project will be transferred to MMRDA free of cost. The authority has also been authorised to levy tolls on the access-controlled corridor, collect user charges and generate revenue through advertisements and commercial development to support the project’s long-term financial sustainability.
