Airport in sight, Kalyan land prices take flight

Speculation attracts real estate agents, developers as farmers start selling land at 30 times the value

Yogesh Sadhwani

     

Posted On Wednesday, August 18, 2010 at 02:03:25 AM

As of now, moving the proposed new international airport from Navi Mumbai to Kalyan is just a hypothesis. But real estate agents have moved in for the kill. Land prices in and around villages in Kalyan have picked up, sparking off a buying and selling frenzy that has left some euphoric and others deeply concerned. When the proposed site at Navi Mumbai ran into trouble over environmental clearances, a few experts pointed towards the 1670 acres of land already in possession of the Defence Ministry near Kalyan. As support for the Kalyan site intensifies, and planners seriously analyse feasibility of the project there, a guntha of land that used to be available for as little as Rs 10,000 barely a few months ago, is now being sold for Rs 4-5 lakh. So an acre of land, worth Rs 3 lakh, now costs Rs 1 crore. Plots adjoining any major road are priced twice that price. Amar Chavan, a broker who specialises in land deals around the proposed airport site admitted, “Locals refuse to sell at anything less than Rs 3 lakh per guntha, no matter who is buying and where the plot is located. Prices have gone up only in the last few months. With talks becoming concrete we expect the prices to go up ten times in the near future,” he said. Locals have mixed reactions to the real estate boom. “There are a number of plots that do not fall under the aerodrome land. Villagers in need of money are selling off parts of their land. Earlier the prices were very low. But now that an airport is being planned, prices have shot up tremendously,” said Sairaj Patil, a resident of Nevali village. In 1944, an airstrip was constructed at this Kalyan site. However, most of it is now under cultivation or has been commercially exploited Datta Fulore, a resident of Fulore village too confirmed that plots situated far away from the main roads that used to be sold for Rs 2-3 lakh per acre are being sold for anywhere between Rs 50-60 lakh. But those wishing to construct on these plots have to spend a bomb on converting these agricultural plots to non-agricultural land. Even developers scouting for land in these areas are having a tough time. Meghraj Dupange, a developer, who has constructed several projects in Titwala explained that prices have shot up so sharply that it is almost impossible for an individual to buy land for a farm or personal use. “I have been scanning the area, but the prices are far too prohibitive. However, I know the prices will go up further once the proposal is actively discussed. If the airport project gets clearance, a plot now being sold for Rs 5 lakh per guntha will go for Rs 15 lakh and above,” he said. Dupange explained that it makes sense to buy land now and construct as prices will only keep going up. “The fact remains that once the airport is cleared, big developers and five star hotel owners will want to buy land. Moreover, people will buy land to construct godowns,” he added. However, most buyers and sellers warn against cons who sell the same plot to multiple buyers. Moreover, plots already acquired for the airport are also being sold illegally. Meanwhile, the state government continues to put its might behind Navi Mumbai as the preferred location for the proposed international airport, over the other 16. A senior official told Mirror, “The Kalyan location may be hardsold by some elected representatives, but it has certain important negative aspects which cannot be easily ignored.” The bureaucrat explained, “The Kalyan site does not get the required three-degree gliding level for take-off due to the nearby hill. Also, the direction of the airstrip is north-south and not east-west, as needed.” Locals say no to airport Residents of all the 17 villages have intensified their movement to oppose the airport. They point out that their land was acquired by the government during World War II for a pittance. “The condition back then was that our land would be returned to us within six months of the war ending. But years later, though we are in possession of our land, the 7/12 extracts (proof of ownership of land) are still in the name of the government,” said Sairaj Patil, a local. Locals say the airport won’t help them. They have come together to oppose the airport. Earlier this week when some officials from the collector’s office went to survey the area, they were driven away. – Inputs by Ravikiran Deshmukh