Even as the land acquisition process for the Aerotropolis (aero city) project gets underway near Durgapur in Burdwan district, the Coal India Limited (CIL) has opposed the project saying that it would lock up huge coal reserves in the area. The Navratna company has been opposing the proposed Rs 10,000-crore project, which will include an airport and a aero city to be developed by Changi Airports International of Singapore. The company has argued that the proposed site in Andal and Bhadu mouzas spanning nearly 3,500 acres has vast coal reserves. The state government will acquire the land on behalf of the Asansol Durgapur Development Authority (ADDA). Burdwan District Magistrate Manish Jain has issued a notification in this regard on Friday. Last week, the Steering Committee on Greenfield Airports headed by the civil aviation secretary had given the nod for the project after accepting the techno-economic feasibility study submitted by project promoter Bengal Aerotropolis Project Ltd. Union Minister of State for Coal Santosh Bagrodia had said in Delhi on December 6 that there is no question of allowing “any damage to coal reserves”, and the project could be “shifted elsewhere”.ADDA chairman B Chowdhury and Burdwan DM, however, told The Indian Express that after a smooth land acquisition the project would be implemented without any hindrance.“The acquisition process began only after a series of meetings with all political parties to finalise the compensation-cum-rehabilitation package. The CIL has not raised any objection over Friday’s notification. In the first phase, 2,300 acres would be acquired. We hope to acquire the same in four months,” Jain said. Chowdhury said the CIL’s objection has come as a big surprise. “The project site is out of the purview of Eastern Coalfields Limited. The airstrip will bring positive changes for the coal industry and mining in the region,” he added. “There has been no coal exploration in the area. The site is next to a national highway and regulations prohibit mining activity within 200 metres,” Chowdhury said. He added that the administration had recently held an all-party meeting to discuss the issue but no objections were raised. “The TMC, however, did not participate,” said Chowdhury.
