NM airport project in troubled waters

After a hard-fought two-year long battle for environmental clearances, a fresh hurdle has come from a group of land owners whose land of over 1,000 acre was to be used for the construction of the Navi Mumbai airport. These owners are now demanding Rs 20 crore for each acre, besides rehabilitation and jobs. This is four to five times the market rate. With this demand from the land owners, the original estimated cost of Rs 10,000 crore for the project has to be recalculated. It is not certain whether the project will attract bidders at all if the villagers' demand is factored in.