Reliance [Get Quote] Industries-promoted Mumbai SEZ Private Ltd, which is developing a 1,000-hectare multi-product special economic zone on the outskirts of the city, has managed to buy 1,000 hectares of contiguous land from farmers.

This qualifies the company for getting formal approval for the SEZ from the Central government.

A senior state government official said, "Reliance managed to buy the land through direct negotiations with farmers." The state government would forward the company's application to the Centre as soon as it came with an official proposal, he added.

Ever since its inception, the project, spread over three talukas of Raigad district -- Panvel, Uran and Khalapur, got mired in controversies. The state government's notice for land acquisition was sternly opposed by NGOs and political parties including Shiv Sena.

The state government had to later clarify that though it had issued the notification for acquisition of land, the company would have to buy the land of its own through direct negotiations with farmers.

When the company failed to acquire the minimum required land (1,000 hectares) within one year of the notification, it was forced to approach the board of approval (BoA) for a year's extension.

The official said the opposition to the land acquisition came mainly from builders, politicians and underworld, who had bought huge tracts of land in the area, and not from farmers as it was made out to be earlier.

When contacted, the company spokesman declined to comment on the development.

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