Airport project: land acquisition stayed

Special Correspondent

Over 10,000 families will be displaced, says petition

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"Decision taken even before issuing any public notice" "It will require constructions to be razed to the ground" CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has stayed the land acquisition proceedings for the proposed airport modernisation project in Chennai. Two separate Benches of the court granted the interim stay on a batch of writ petitions filed by the project-affected individuals and the Polichalur Makkal Nala Munnetra Sangam, challenging a December 14, 2005 Government Order as well as certain provisions of the relevant legislation. Alleging irregularities in the acquisition proceedings, the petitioners said: "The original plan of the Airport Authority of India was not accepted for the simple reason that real estate owners and rich landlords in that area objected to the acquisition. The action of the Government in changing the plan and the area to save them is tainted with mala fides and ought not to be allowed." The lands that were initially sought to be acquired were vacant, while the parts now ordered to be acquired were all residential areas with a large number of pucca houses. "The acquisition will not only displace at least 10,000 families, it will also require constructions to be razed to the ground." Alleging violation of all mandatory procedures governing land acquisition proceedings, the petitioners said the decision was taken even before any public notice was issued and explanations invited. The impugned decision left the remaining process an "empty formality and an eye-wash." The acquisitionwould not come within the definition of industrial purpose. Hence, the whole exercise is ultra vires and without jurisdiction, they added. The proposed land plan schedule includes 583 acres spread across Anagaputtur, Polichalur, Coul Bazaar, Thrapakkam, Manapakkam, Cantonment Pallavaram, Pammal, Kolapakkam and Gerugambakkam. Accepting a request from the AAI, the Tamil Nadu Government issued the impugned order on December 14, 2005.

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