‘Landowners can’t dictate’: Bombay High Court clears path for Pune airport project

The Bombay High Court has ruled in favor of a proposed Greenfield Airport in Pune, dismissing a plea from farmers who were objecting to the construction of the airport on their lands in Pune and elsewhere in Maharashtra. Justices Suman Shyam and Advait M Sethna deemed the landowners' objections invalid, stating that they cannot dictate the site selection simply to protect their property.

The court reasoned that the choice of site for the airport, including alignment, feasibility, and other technical aspects, falls solely within the purview of experts and the state's expropriating authority. The farmers had challenged the selection of the particular site, citing technical and operational limitations, including safety concerns.

They argued that other locations would be more viable and that the extent of land acquisition was excessive. The court emphasized that the choice of site is a policy decision, leaving the final determination to the state's competent authorities based on expert assessments.