DLF's Dankuni Township Project Faces Uncertainty Amidst Land Acquisition Hurdles
The fate of DLF's ambitious Rs 33,000-crore township project in Dankuni hangs in the balance, grappling with significant land acquisition challenges and political opposition. Urban Development Minister Asok Bhattacharya indicated the project's potential cancellation if landowner and opposition party resistance continues.
"The project will not be implemented if the Opposition party and landowners are not ready for it," stated Bhattacharya, echoing concerns raised by Trinamool Congress chairperson Mamata Banerjee, who has demanded a withdrawal of the acquisition notice. DLF has already invested Rs 270 crore in the project.
Project Scope and Land Acquisition Challenges
Envisioned as one of India's largest real estate ventures, the proposed township is slated for development over 4,840 acres spanning a 10-year timeline. Comprising both industrial and residential components, the project has been mired in land acquisition complexities.
"People are ready to sell land to those willing to purchase it directly, but not to the government. But we won’t take over or purchase land forcibly. If they are not ready, then the project will not happen. We will tell people this is how we tried, and this is why it did not work out," Bhattacharya explained, highlighting the government's stance against forced acquisition.
Following setbacks in the panchayat polls, the Left Front government announced its unwillingness to acquire land for industrial purposes where local resistance exists, further jeopardizing the Dankuni project and other similar endeavors. The initial land acquisition deadline in Dankuni has already been missed by six months, with consent secured for only 200 acres, deemed inadequate for the project’s needs.
Political Dynamics and Future Uncertainties
A "procurement committee" comprising public representatives, including panchayat members, was formed to address the land acquisition issue through dialogue and consensus-building. However, the panchayat poll results, which saw significant CPM losses to Trinamool in the Dankuni area, have further complicated the situation.
Minister Bhattacharya acknowledged the shifting political landscape, stating that a new procurement committee will be formed and the decision on the project's future rests with the committee. The possibility of DLF directly purchasing land remains under consideration.
Mamata Banerjee expressed concerns that the acquisition notice might facilitate future land acquisition for different projects even if the DLF proposal was shelved. "Today, the government may say it is shelving the DLF project, but if the land acquisition notice is not formally withdrawn, it may later acquire land for some other project,” Banerjee argued.
Sudhir Sehgal, head of DLF Eastern Region, reaffirmed DLF's commitment to the project. "It is a public-private partnership project, and we have signed an agreement. It is for the government to decide how the land will be taken over. As far as DLF is concerned, we are still committed to the project,” Sehgal said.
The project’s future is uncertain. A resolution appears dependent on the interplay of evolving political dynamics and the government's approach to land acquisition amidst considerable societal resistance.