Pozhichalur residents keep their fingers crossed
Friday March 9 2007 10:14 IST

CHENNAI: The joint struggle by residents of suburban Pozhichalur and surrounding areas to save their houses and business establishments from being razed to pave way for the expansion of the Chennai airport entered its second year on Thursday.

Over the past year, the residents have been opposing the proposed project since it would displace thousands of persons spread across an area of 583 hectares including the colonies of Anakaputhur, Cowl Bazaar and Pozhichalur. For them, it has been a struggle marred by confusion over a lack of transparency on part of the government machinery and chaos over the fears of losing their homes.

Though the State Government is yet to officially announce on the localities which will come within the ‘expansion zone’ the residents fear that it would displace over 25,000 persons and also lead to the demolition of about 4,300 buildings including schools and places of worship.

Repeated requests to state, street-corner protest meetings by the CPM and CPI and angry outbursts against the state among other things have been a common affair in this silent suburb, mostly inhabited by members of middle-income groups and retired persons.

PROTESTS ALL THE WAY: The protests, after a point of time became more poignant and the entire Pozhichalur painted itself black, with flags hoisted all around, especially on the top floors.

ALTERNATIVES PROPOSED: Mean while, the residents also put forth alternatives, such as setting up greenfield airport. One resident even prepared plans for such an airport with the help of satellite images.

SUPPORT FROM ALL CORNERS: Cutting across party lines, the issue has earned the support of many parties. The latest to join the list is the PMK with its founder Ramadoss recently participating in a public meeting and assuring the residents of the party’s support in their ongoing struggle. The BJP and AIADMK have also pledged their support.

Besides, the Traders’ Association president T Vellaiyan and Narmada Bachao Andolan leader Medha Patkar had also held protest meetings on the issue.

WHAT THE STATE SAYS: The ruling DMK, in whose term the issue has garnered speed, is firm on the expansion, but has not come out with clear-cut and straight answers.

However, there have been occasional hints by those in power on the issue. In fact, last Saturday, Chief Minister M Karunanidhi had stressed that the expansion augured well for the economic development of the state considering which “residents should cooperate”.

His response to the greenfield concept hinted that he was not for it when he said, “The present airport is already far, how farther can the new one be situated,” possibly not endorsing the idea of having an airport outside Chennai. However, he has assured that the state will not take a hasty decision and “deal the issue in a humanitarian way”.

In fact, as a latest development, Civil Aviation Secretary Ashok Chawla who took over recently, has said that the issue will come to a finality soon. “We must get to some finality on the issue,” of land acquisition for its expansion, including construction of another runway.

“It should not go beyond two months,” he has said. The residents will be keeping their fingers crossed, till the ministry comes out with a final plan.