Navi Mumbai News: Farmers Oppose NAINA Town Planning Scheme, Demand Property Rights & Fair Compensation Before Implementation

The implementation of CIDCO’s long-pending Town Planning Scheme (TPS) under the Navi Mumbai Airport Influence Notified Area (NAINA) has met fresh resistance from local farmers and landowners, who insist that property cards be issued for all existing structures in extended Gaothan areas before the scheme proceeds.

At the heart of the protest is CIDCO’s land pooling model, which farmers argue violates their rights. They demand that if land acquisition is inevitable, it should strictly follow the 2013 Land Acquisition Act. "Some groups are also seeking either an independent municipal council or cash compensation at prevailing market rates instead of the current land pooling and redistribution mechanism," said Kiran Patil of Parivartan Gaothan Vikas Samajik Sanstha.

A primary concern relates to plot allocation under TPS. Farmers claim the 40% developed land offered in return for their plots overlaps with their present homes in the extended Gaothan zones. "This approach ignores their existing structures and raises doubts over future development rights," Patil added.

For example, farmers cite cases where those holding 20 gunthas of land, with houses covering 2 gunthas, are being offered an 8-guntha replacement plot directly on the built-up area. They argue that their 2-guntha residential footprint must be excluded from TPS calculations, and the remaining 18 gunthas alone should determine the size of their developed plot share.

Further, they have demanded the same Floor Space Index (FSI) rights on their original properties as those granted on the newly allotted plots. This would allow them to combine both plots in future development plans legally.

Farmer leaders warned that without official demarcation of Gaothan and extended Gaothan boundaries and the issuance of property cards for all legal constructions, resistance to the NAINA TPS would escalate. They cited a lack of basic amenities—including drainage, water supply, roads, sewage, community halls, and playgrounds—as further reasons for rejecting the plan in its current form.

"Until property rights are clarified and essential infrastructure guaranteed, we cannot support the NAINA TPS. These villages must be scientifically integrated into urban planning—not treated as an afterthought," the farmer groups stated.

The NAINA TPS has faced delays and opposition for over a decade, largely due to these unresolved concerns, leaving the project’s future uncertain unless key farmer demands are addressed.