Airport expansion needs cooperation :


Chennai,Mar 3: In the wake of protests by people living around Chennai airport against plans to acquire their land for airport expansion, Chief Minister M Karunanidhi today sought the co-operation of all sections for the project and said it was being done to promote economic growth.

"The existing airport itself is far away from the city and the second airport at a longer distance will not be viable," he told reporters here.
People living in the surrounding villages need not fear that their land would be taken at a lower price than the market rate, he said adding the government would consider all aspects of the expansion plan and would not take a hasty decision.

Karunanidhi,who inspected the progress of works in the IT corridor (a 20 km stretch comprising IT companies near the city),said out of the Rs 205 crore allocated for the project,only rs five crore was spent during the AIADMK period. After the DMK government took over in May last, 20 per cent of the works had been completed till now and road laying for the 20 km stretch would be over by August.

Within three years,the IT corridor rpt corridor would provide jobs to three lakh employees and attract the attention of the world.
To a question, he said government policy for factories set up in IT parks were the same and it would not differ from urban to rural places. (Our Correspondent)

Published: Saturday, March 03, 2007

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