Pune: The ministry of defence (MoD) has introduced strict timelines and a mandatory 30-day response deadline to accelerate public infrastructure clearances on defence land.The move is significant for projects involving roads, public utilities, and other infrastructure that require access to or transfer of defence land. The ministry has said delays in responding to clarifications and observations by indenting authorities have, in several cases, slowed down the processing of proposals.“This will expedite the overall procedure, which had been time-consuming in the past. Because of past delays, several projects could not be taken up on time, thereby increasing the overall cost. The revised policy has a deadline at each level. This has improved accountability in the entire procedure,” Vikash Kumar, the defence estates officer of Pune division, told TOI.Rajesh Bankar, head of road department, Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), said, “This decision is very crucial for us, as some projects that require defence land have been pending at the defence estates and Army authorities’ level for the past few months. For instance, the widening work of the North Main Road in Mundhwa area needs defence land. However, we have not got consent yet. Therefore, the project is yet to be completed. Similarly, we need land on the Pune-Ahmednagar Road, but we are yet to get permission.”Under the revised procedure issued in Aug, armed forces headquarters and the Directorate General of Defence Estates (DGDE) will have to submit their comments within three months of receiving applications through the NOC portal. The board of proceedings and MoU execution must be completed within a month after working permission is granted.Project authorities will have two months to deposit applicable land costs, lease rent, licence fees, or security deposits. After the completion of financial formalities, defence land must be handed over within a week. Importantly, proposals can be closed if the agency seeking the land fails to respond to queries from the MoD, service headquarters, or DGDE within 30 days.The 30-day rule will also apply to proposals being processed under the equal value infrastructure (EVI) mechanism. In cases involving a transfer through equal value land (EVL), a board of officers must be convened within a month of signing the MoU to identify and finalise suitable land, with the proceedings to be completed within six months.“By fixing responsibility and deadlines at different stages, the ministry hopes to ensure that proposals do not remain pending simply because one agency has failed to act or respond. The move could particularly help future projects where delays in securing defence land have a cascading impact on public infrastructure, including connectivity and essential utility works in areas adjoining military establishments and cantonments,” a senior official from the DGDE said.
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