Maharashtra Approves Land Acquisition for Nuclear-Aerospace Corridor in Saoner Nagpur: The state government has cleared the acquisition of 6,700 acres of land in Saoner for a defence nuclear aerospace (DNA) corridor, modeled after similar projects in Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, along with a fertiliser complex by the public sector unit Gas Authority of India Limited (GAIL). The fertiliser complex is one of six such facilities planned nationwide, with a similar project already under consideration in Rajnandgaon, Chhattisgarh, which borders Vidarbha’s Gondia district. The proposed GAIL plant will produce ammonium nitrate, a critical raw material for explosives manufacturers. Of the 6,700 acres allocated, 800 acres will be dedicated to GAIL’s fertiliser complex, while the remaining land will be reserved for defence, aerospace, and nuclear sector units, according to sources. GAIL officials have visited the site and expressed readiness to commence the project in Saoner, which led to the approval of the land acquisition plan. Saoner’s MLA, Ashish Deshmukh, who has been advocating for the twin projects, had written to Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in August 2025, highlighting the strategic advantages of establishing the DNA corridor in Saoner. His visit to the proposed site played a key role in securing the committee’s approval. Deshmukh praised the development as a major step toward regional growth, noting that the corridor will complement GAIL’s fertiliser complex. The initiative is significant amid ongoing tensions in the Middle East, as the availability of ammonium nitrate could attract explosives manufacturers to the region. Deshmukh emphasized that the project would enhance India’s self-reliance in fertiliser production and potentially draw investments from the chemical sector.#maharashtra #gail #saoner #ashish_deshmukh #dna_corridor
