Since 2004, licences have been given to develop as much land in the area as in the entire state during the earlier 25-odd yrs

In a three-part series, Business Standard has explored how agricultural land has been commercially tapped and exploited over the years by developers, often with ample help from the government, and its impact on the stakeholders. The series begins with the Gurgaon-Manesar region, next to Delhi. In the next two parts, we will look at Rajarhat on the fringes of Kolkata and the Mumbai-Pune and Mumbai-Nashik belt.