MK's assurance on airport expansion
Friday, 25 August , 2006, 12:17

The Civil Aviation Ministry's proposed expansion of the Chennai airport "would not affect" the residents of the areas around it, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi told the Assembly today.

"The proposed expansion of the Chennai airport, to be undertaken by the Civil Aviation Ministry, will in no way affect the poor and the common man," he said, in reply to a question by CPI member Sivapunniyam.

Karunanidhi said the Civil Aviation Ministry would be consulted before the government actually initiated the move.

Earlier, Sivapunniyam said the proposed expansion aimed at upgrading the Chennai airport to international standards, would displace nearly 25,000 people living in Pozhichalur, Anakaputhur and Pammal areas, which had been identified for the expansion.

He also said that instead of displacing these residents, the government could either consider using the uninhabited land in these areas or construct an airport at suburban Ambattur or Avadi.



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