Villagers oppose land acquisition for airport

TIRUCHI: A fresh proposal on land acquisition for the next phase of expansion of the Tiruchi Airport has run into opposition from residents of villages behind the airport.

A large number of residents of Nathamadipatti and Keezhakurichi villages, whose lands are proposed to be acquired for the expansion of the airport, have registered their protest against the move by presenting a representation to Collector T.Soundiah on Monday. Talks held with the villagers by the Revenue and Airport Authorities, a couple of months ago, had ended abruptly owing to opposition from the villagers.

The Airports Authority of India has sought about 430 acres of land for the proposed expansion, envisaging the extension of the runway to 12,500 feet from 8,000 feet so that the airport, one of the non-metro airports identified for development and expansion, would be able to handle big (Code-E) aircrafts such as B747-400 and B777-300. Originally, lands on both the eastern and western sides were proposed to be acquired.

But residents on the Western side, to the front of the airport, had launched a campaign after Revenue authorities made an attempt to survey the lands to be acquired.

Subsequently, the AAI was asked to consider the extension of the airport runway across the Uyyakondan river (as has been done in Chennai), running behind the airport.

The latest protest by the villagers comes in the wake of a fresh proposal to confine the land acquisition to the Eastern side, to the rear of the airport. Residents of Nathamadipatti and Keezhakurichi, two main villages where the lands are to be acquired, say that their livelihood would be adversely affected if the lands were acquired.

A substantial portion of the lands were cultivable lands, irrigated by the Uyyakondan river, says A.Arul of Nathamadipatti. “Large extents of land from the villages have already been taken twice in the past for the airport development project,” he points out.

Villagers also apprehend that they would be rendered without a link road to Golden Rock and the city if the lands were acquired.

“The Nathamadipatti-Golden Rock Road is our main access road to the city and once the lands are acquired we would have to take a detour of over five to six km,” says A. Sathyamoorthy, another village resident.