Mumbai: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday directed officials to complete land acquisition for important infrastructure projects within the prescribed timelines to avoid delays in execution and cost escalation.
Highlighting the scale of the work ahead, Fadnavis said Rs 53,354 crore would be needed to acquire land for 11 ambitious state projects.
The CM also directed the finance department to allocate Rs 12,000 crore required in connection with land acquisition for the proposed Shaktipeeth Expressway, his office said in a statement.
"Delays in projects lead to major cost escalations. All agencies concerned have been assigned specific timelines, and strict adherence to these is necessary. The land acquisition process must be treated with seriousness and executed in mission mode," the CM said.
Earlier in the day, he chaired a high-level meeting to review the progress in land acquisition for several major projects, including the Nagpur-Goa Shaktipeeth Expressway and Pune Ring Road, said the statement.
Fadnavis said the alignment of the proposed Shaktipeeth Expressway should be finalised using the Gati Shakti portal to minimise the impact on forest land. He also directed the finance department to allocate Rs 12,000 crore required to acquire land for the expressway.
He stressed the need to fast-track clearances concerning forested areas and mangrove patches between Morbe and Karanja for the proposed Virar-Alibaug corridor, while simultaneously proceeding with administrative processes to keep the project on track.
He also called for submission of a proposal to include the Vadhavan-Igatpuri Expressway project under the Centre's Sagarmala scheme, and completion of land acquisition at Selu in Parbhani district for the Jalna-Nanded Expressway within 15 days, the statement said.
Blueprints for the Bhandara-Gadchiroli, Nagpur-Chandrapur, and Nagpur-Gondia expressways should also be finalised through the Gati Shakti portal, he said.
He also directed officials to complete land acquisition for the Wardha-Gadchiroli and Wardha-Nanded rail lines within the prescribed time.
Fadnavis directed that the Obstacle Limitation Surface (OLS) survey be completed for the proposed Gadchiroli airport. The runway at Akola airport should be extended to 2,400 metres to accommodate larger aircraft, and a modern and spacious terminal should be constructed there, he added.
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