Karjat farmers halt land acquisition hearing for Torrent project access road after officials stay silent

Farmers in Karjat taluka of Raigad district brought a hearing on land acquisition for an access road to the proposed Torrent project to a halt midway. The hearing, held at the Karjat tehsil office, concerned farmers whose land is being taken for the road.

The 5.91-km road runs from Bhalivadi to the Torrent hydro project at Saydongar. The hearing was chaired by District Land Acquisition Officer Shrikant Gaikwad. Public Works Department deputy engineer Rahul Devang, resident naib tehsildar Mrunalini Shirsat and officials of the district land acquisition office were also present. Gaikwad said that notices were issued in July 2026, under the 2013 land acquisition law, to farmers holding survey number 34/1 for building the access road.

A total of 108 objection applications have been received. A public hearing on these objections was held in Karjat. Large numbers of farmers came from the villages of Pali Potal, Saydongar, Bhalivadi, Mohmalvadi, Ambevadi and Ambot.

The dispute began while Gaikwad was explaining the 2013 land acquisition law. During the discussion, he said that some farmers here were "Adani farmers". All the farmers objected to this. Advocate Kailas More alleged that, despite the farmers' objections, the officials going to measure the land belonged to Adani.

The farmers also asked why the hearing was being held and at whose request the road was being built. Public Works Department officials stayed silent for a few minutes. As pressure from the farmers grew, it was finally clarified that the new access road is being prepared to carry machinery for the Torrent dam project.

On hearing this, the farmers said they wanted neither the road nor the project. They alleged that no one was recording the minutes of the hearing, that is, a record of the proceedings, and that they were being played with. Advocate Kailas More announced that the minutes would be demanded after the meeting.

The farmers also submitted a written representation. In it, farmers of this area of Karjat taluka asked why the hearing was being held, at whose request the road was being built and who was writing the minutes of the meeting. The District Land Acquisition Officer and the Public Works Department deputy engineer could not answer these questions, among several other issues.

The farmers then registered their objections and, in the written representation, demanded that the hearing be stopped, and brought it to a close.