Uncertainty over acquisition of over 500 acres land for New Nagpur

Nagpur: The high land acquisition cost beyond initial estimates may prove a major stumbling block for the ambitious New Nagpur Project, touted as one of Maharashtra govt's flagship urban expansion initiatives. The project initially proposed acquisition of around 1,710 acres (approximately 692 hectares) of land. Now, as per Nagpur Metropolitan Region Development Authority (NMRDA), there is uncertainty over acquisition of nearly 500 to 600 acres. As per senior NMRDA officials, the land acquisition cost, originally estimated at around Rs3,000 crore, has now crossed Rs4,000 crore and is expected to increase further. TOI was first to report about the nearly Rs1,000 crore jump in the acquisition cost for the project.The chief minister Devendra Fadnavis-led govt announced the Rs11,300 crore New Nagpur Project in 2025. As per the cabinet decision dated Sept 3, 2025, a sum of Rs3,000 crore was earmarked for land acquisition, while Rs3,500 crore was allocated for Phase-I infrastructure development. The govt also approved raising funds through a loan from Housing and Urban Development Corporation Ltd (HUDCO) with a state guarantee.A senior NMRDA official told TOI the govt provided a guarantee for Rs3,000 crore to facilitate land acquisition. "We have received Rs928 crore from HUDCO as the first instalment after submitting the demand for land acquisition in Godhani village. The demand for Ladgaon village acquisition is yet to be submitted," the official said. The official further stated that out of the total land identified for acquisition, consent has been received from farmers for nearly 1,586 acres. "The sanctioned amount for land acquisition is limited to Rs3,000 crore. Since the acquisition cost has increased drastically, we may have to reduce nearly 500 to 600 acres from the project area. We are following the MIDC model, where connected land parcels along the Samruddhi Expressway will be acquired in a planned manner beginning from Godhani village," the official said.Apart from monetary compensation, the project also offers a developed 1,500 sq ft plot for every acre of land acquired. If portions of land are dropped from the acquisition plan, many landowners may lose out on both compensation and future development benefits. Meanwhile, NMRDA has urged farmers to complete consent and acquisition-related formalities at the earliest to avoid delays in the implementation process.