Akali Dal urges Punjab Governor to halt massive Mohali Aerotropolis expansion over land grab fears

The delegation included noted activist and intellectual Professor Gurdarshan Singh Dhillon, Satwant Kaur Boparai, Manjeet Kochar, and S. Sewa Singh. They expressed serious concerns regarding the legality, financial feasibility and social consequences of acquiring fertile agricultural land across several villages, alleging that the interests of the Puadh region are being ignored.

The memorandum noted that the acquisition process was initiated abruptly after the withdrawal of the state’s land pooling policy, without a clear transition framework. According to the delegation, this has raised concerns about the dilution of statutory protections for farmers under the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013.

Notification lacks clarity, says Talwandi

Speaking to the media, Talwandi said the notification initiating the Social Impact Assessment for the Aerotropolis expansion lacks clarity regarding the public purpose and development plan behind such a massive land acquisition. He remarked that “even the original Aerotropolis project announced earlier has not witnessed any substantial progress so far, with several blocks still awaiting basic infrastructure development.”

Quoting Section 101 of the Act, Talwandi further said that the government should return the land acquired in 2019 for the original project, adding that “not a brick has been laid there till now.”

The delegation also highlighted serious financial concerns related to the proposed expansion. According to estimates presented in the memorandum, the broader planning area may cover nearly 5,000 acres, with the total financial liability—including compensation and development costs—potentially reaching Rs 1 lakh crore, at a time when Punjab’s overall debt is nearing Rs 6 lakh crore.

Talwandi further noted that reports suggest the Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA) plans to raise Rs 5,000–Rs 10,000 crore through loans, bonds and debentures to finance multiple development projects. He added that GMADA has already taken loans exceeding Rs 7,400 crore by mortgaging assets worth nearly Rs 9,300 crore, raising concerns about the financial sustainability of further borrowing.

He also alleged that the government has attempted to classify the project under provisions related to planned development, thereby bypassing the requirement of consent from affected landowners and gram sabhas, while no detailed blueprint of the proposed development has been shared with the public or the landowners.

Talwandi emphasised that the 2013 land acquisition law clearly mandates Social Impact Assessments, public consultations and public hearings, enabling affected residents to raise objections and present their concerns before any acquisition proceeds. He added that large-scale acquisition of private land must involve substantial consent from the affected population, generally 70–80 per cent, depending on the nature of the project.

“Any attempt to carry out land acquisition without meaningful public consultation and broad consent of affected farmers or democratically elected grassroots bodies would undermine the spirit of transparency and participatory governance envisioned in the law,” Talwandi stated.

The memorandum also highlighted the potential social impact on the Puadh region, where many families had previously been displaced during the development of Chandigarh. Talwandi warned that “another round of large-scale acquisition would amount to double displacement for many families and could severely disrupt the agrarian and cultural fabric of the region.”

The delegation urged the Governor to examine the matter and ensure that all safeguards under the 2013 land acquisition law are strictly upheld before any further steps are taken. Talwandi also suggested that the government explore farmer-friendly development models, where landowners become stakeholders in development projects rather than losing their land permanently, citing cooperative urban development models successfully implemented in states like Gujarat and Rajasthan.

The Governor was requested to intervene to ensure that farmers’ rights and livelihoods are protected and that no arbitrary acquisition of fertile agricultural land occurs without due legal process and public consent.