Prime agricultural lands to be acquired
Monday May 28 2007 12:41 IST

KANCHEEPURAM: The prime agricultural lands in Kancheepuram will be the major casualty, with the district administration announcing its plans to acquire land in four villages for the expansion of the Chennai airport.

The villages listed by the authorities for acquiring lands are Manapakkam, Kolapakkam, Gerugampakkam and Tharapakkam.

According to a notification by the Kancheepuram district administration, out of the 432 acres of land in the acquisition list, 325 acres constitute wet lands. The State Government would lose just 48.38 acres of poromboke lands, while 28.23 acres constitute Defence lands and 32.20 acres of dry agricultural lands.

A total of 807 survey numbers, with an average size of less than one acre, had been notified for acquisition. Less than 10 survey numbers hold a size of above two acres.

At Manapakkam, 50.52 acres of wet lands, 7.19 acres of dry lands and 28.23 acres of Defence lands are proposed to be acquired. These include 184 survey numbers, starting from number 138.

At Kolapakkam, 103.22 acres of wet lands, 25.01 acres of dry lands and 31.65 acres of poromboke lands, comprising 129 survey numbers, starting with survey number 206, would be acquired.

At Gerugambakkam, 139.82 acres of wet lands and 6.28 acres of poromboke lands would be taken over. These include 527 survey numbers starting from number 289. As much as 31.86 acres of wet lands and one acre of poromboke land, comprising 77 survey numbers, would be acquired in Tharapakkam.

The initial resistance by the villagers was overcome by floating acceptable compensation packages, the officials said.


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PM's panel to consider airport proposal

New Delhi, May 27: A final decision on Chennai airport modernisation and the creation of a greenfield airport near the Tamil Nadu capital is likely to be taken up by Prime Minister's Committee on Infrastructure.


Official sources said that at its next meeting, the infrastructure panel would consider various aspects, including pros and cons of a new greenfield airport near Chennai, before taking a final view on the matter.


Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi had recently announced that Chennai airport revamp as well as development of a greenfield airport would be handled by the Airports Authority of India. West Bengal government has already entrusted the Kolkata airport modernisation work to the AAI.


The DMK government was planning to have a greenfield airport at Sriperumbudur and Tiruvallur taluks near Chennai, Karunanidhi had said after a meeting of all legislative party leaders.


He had also said the existing airport at Meenambakkam would be the expanded to Manapakkam, Kolapakkam, Gerugambakkam and Tharapakkam in Sriperumbudur taluk and the government would provide suitable compensation to 947 households in these areas and rehabilitate them.


On the greenfield airport, the sources, however, said the current traffic projections show that the southern metropolis does not require a second airport in the next 12-13 years. The traffic growth could be handled by the Meenambakkam airport through its expansion programme, they added.


As per official figures, the existing airport was currently handling about 7.55 million passengers annually, which was poised to grow to about nine million by 2009-10. The sources said the only thing that was clear at this moment was that the state-owned AAI would handle the development of the existing airport, for which the state government has made the required land available.


According to the Tamil Nadu government, while the greenfield airport would come up on 4,820.66 acre, expansion of Chennai airport would be carried out on 1,069.99 acre at an estimated cost of Rs 2,000 crore.


On Kolkata's Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport, AAI has already submitted a modernisation plan that is estimated to cost around Rs 2,000 crore. The funds would be raised by the AAI through its own financial strength.


Of the estimated outlay, AAI plans to spend Rs 900 crore during the 11th Plan period and the remaining amount after that.


As the modernisation plan is put into practice, the existing airport in the eastern metropolis would continue to serve the passengers, the sources said. (Agencies)


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Land acquisition process begins for airport expansion

Kanchipuram, May 27 (PTI): The Kanchipuram district administration has said that the process to acquire 433.19 hectares of land in and around Sriperumpudur taluk for the expansion of Chennai Airport has begun.

A communique from collector yesterday said that 159.88 hectares of land in Kolappakkam, 32.8 ha in Tharapakkam, 146.9 ha in Gerugampakkam and 94.35 ha Manapakkam would be acquired for the project.

Tamil Nadu government had recently announced expansion of the existing airport, part of which falls in Sriperumpudur Taluk, and construction of a new greenfield airport at Sriperumpudur and Tiruvallur taluks.

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2nd Chennai airport gets TN House nod
25 May, 2007 l 0305 hrs ISTlSaurabh Sinha/TIMES NEWS NETWORK

NEW DELHI: The uncertainty over Chennai's new airport has finally ended. The aviation ministry has received the resolution passed by the Tamil Nadu Assembly which says the Airports Authority of India (AAI) should modernise the existing airport and also build a greenfield one near the city. The new airport could be built in a 5,000-acre area near Sriperumbudur.

The ministry is now awaiting a formal decision from the state that would be forwarded to the Group of Ministers and PMO for final clearance. But, perhaps sensing that it would get the Chennai and Kolkata airports, the AAI has already begun groundwork by inviting global design bids so that work can begin as soon as all clearances come.
"The immediate task will be to provide new domestic and international terminal at the existing airport. This work will be done in phases and at a cost of Rs 1,500-2,000 crore. By the time this terminal reaches peak capacity in 2015, we plan to have the new greenfield ready," said highly placed sources. The new airport will come up in an area of 5,000 acres and at a cost of about Rs 5,000 crore.

Since Chennai would have two airports — with no condition being set by greenfield developer to close the existing one — the new place could be used for international and legacy carriers. The existing airport could be earmarked for low cost carriers, a practice widely adopted abroad to help keep no frill flights sustainable by offering them lower airport charges.

The decision has surprised many in the aviation industry, as earlier, there was talk of Chennai going the Delhi and Mumbai way of privatisation.


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FICCI welcomes TN govt move
NT Bureau
Chennai, May 24:
The Tamilnadu State Council of Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) has welcomed Chief Minister M Karunan-idhi for his bold initiatives on airport expansion.

M Rafeeque Ahmed, chairman, FICCI in a press release has said that the government has formalised plans for airport expansion at the existing airport and for setting up of a new green field airport nearby without causing dislocation to large sections of the population.

He said the Tamilnadu State Council of FICCI fully supports and extends all cooperation in this endeavour of government to ensure that Chennai will become a major hub for inward and outbound air travel in the future


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Chennai to get swanky new airports

Sandhya Ravishankar
CNN-IBN

MODERNIZATION PLAN: After Bangalore and Hyderabad it's Chennai's turn to get 2 spanking new airports.

Chennai: After Bangalore and Hyderabad it's Chennai's turn to get two new spanking world-class airports. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister gave a final “go ahead” to the Rs 2000 crore plan at the All Party meet on Tuesday. The expansion plan and renovation of the existing airports has given Chennai passengers a reason to smile.


"We are ready to invest Rs 2,000 crore for both the airports. Its time we go in for some expansion and world class development in Chennai,” Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi said.


Chief Minister announced two new airports—one an expanded and renovated version of the existing airport and brand new airport called the Greenfield in Tiruvallur district.


The ambitious expansion though is facing some bottlenecks. The local residents are protesting the project since it will mean razing trees and the slum clusters form the area. Also some quarters of the ruling Democratic Progressive Alliance are opposing the mammoth investment. The All-Party meet held Tuesday however managed to assuage the ruling coalition, leaving only the opposition AIADMK discontent.


Karunanidhi promises that suburbs like Pozhichalur will not be affected by the modernization plan. Instead 1,000 acres will be acquired in areas like Girugambakkam, Manappakkam and Thuraippakkam. And the Greenfield airport will come up on 4,200 acres of land near Sriperumbudur.


Residents of areas like Pozhichalur who had protested vehemently against the airport expansion can now breathe easy. And Chennai's residents too have reason to smile. Although a trip to the new airport will mean a longer drive, it will offer much better facilities than the existing one.

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Another airport for Chennai, upgrade of Meenambakkam

BS Reporter / Chennai May 23, 2007



A new greenfield airport will come up at Sriperumbudur and Tiruvallur taluks near Chennai, while there are expansion plans for the existing airport at Meenambakkam, according to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi.

The greenfield airport will be set up on 4,820.66 acres, while the expansion of the existing Meenambakkam airport would be taken up on 1,069.99 acres at an estimated cost of Rs 2,000 crore.

Both the projects would be entrusted to the Airports Authority of India (AAI), Karunanidhi said.

The expansion of the existing airport will be carried out on 1,070 acres spread across Manapakkam, Kolapakkam, Kerugambakkam and Tharapakkam in Sriperumbudur taluk. The government would provide suitable compensation to 947 families living in these areas and ensure their quick rehabilitation, a government release said.

Karunanidhi said the government initially chose to take up the expansion in areas covering Pozhichalur, but felt it would lead to displacement of thousands of families.

“As the residents opposed the move, we decided to take up the expansion of the existing airport in the above areas,” he said.

The expansion plans were announced by Karunanidhi after a resolutions was passed at a meeting of the legislative party leaders at the secretariat on Tuesday. He said all political parties, with the exception of the AIADMK, had supported plans for the expansion of the airport.

Industry and trade bodies have been urging the state government to take up airport expansion plans forthwith.

A Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) statement said passenger traffic at the Chennai airport was expected to increase by 20 to 30 per cent and reach 12-13 million by 2011 and cargo traffic was expected to increase by more than 20-25 per cent in the next four years.

The existing facilities are inadequate to handle this growth, the CII said.

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Lands for airport expansion, new airport identified

Special Correspondent

Over 4, 800 acres to be acquired for greenfield airport in two taluks



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1,069.99 acres to be acquired for expansion
7,115 persons in 947 houses to be displaced
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— Photo: V. Ganesan

IN DISCUSSION: Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi presiding over the all-party meeting on airport expansion, at the Secretariat in Chennai on Tuesday.


CHENNAI: Chennai will have a new airport soon. It will also see the expansion of the existing airport to meet the growing needs.

These were the decisions taken at an all-party meet chaired by Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi. He later said the All-India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam did not agree with the resolution, claiming that many people would be affected by the airport expansion project.

Mr. Karunanidhi said that he had assured the party representative that the Government would look into all petitions. The task of construction would be entrusted with the Airports Authority of India.

Instead of the earlier decision to take over land in thickly populated areas of Ankaputhur, Gowl Bazaar, Pallavaram Cantonment and the nearby areas, the new land acquisition would be in four villages — Manapakkam, Kolapakkam, Kerukampakkam and Tharapakkam. A total of 1069.99 acres would be acquired for the expansion in the villages.

In the earlier case, the number of people to be displaced was put at 60,000 and houses to be razed down at 5,000. Now, 7,115 persons living in 947 houses would be displaced. A small extent of defence land also needed to be acquired. The compensation package and relocation cost would be around Rs. 1,000 crore.

The Government would also acquire land for the proposed greenfield airport. The development of the airport and the expansion of the old airport would proceed simultaneously. As many as 4,820.66 acres spread across Tirumangalam, Mambakkam, Irungulam, Vadamangalam, Padicherry, Sirukilai, Kilai and Sriperumbudur in Sriperumbudur taluk, Tirupandiyur and Vayalur in Tiruvallur taluk would be acquired. A total of 6,540 people would be affected and 1,078 houses would be razed. The compensation would cost the Government Rs. 1,799.89 crore and resettlement of the affected people, Rs. 53.9 crore.

Officials explained that since the earlier government had already committed that it would give land free of cost for the development of an airport, it was not possible to go back on that now.

The new airport would have four runways to cater to the increased traffic. Both airports would be required given the rate at which Chennai was growing, the officials said.

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New greenfield airport to be set up near Chennai

Chennai, May 22 (PTI): Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi today announced the setting up of a new greenfield airport at Sriperumbudur and Tiruvallur taluks, apart from the expansion of the existing airport at Meenambakkam.

The expansion of the existing airport would be taken up at Manapakkam, Kolapakkam, Kerugambakkam and Tharapakkam in Sriperumbudur taluk, Karunanidhi told reporters here today after a resolution to this effect was adopted at a meeting of the legislative party leaders held at the Secretariat.

While the greenfield airport would come up on 4,820.66 acres, expansion of Chennai airport would be done on 1,069.99 acres at an estimated cost of Rs 2,000 crore, he said.

Karunanidhi said that the work for both the expansion and the greenfield airports would be entrusted to the Airports Authority of India (AAI). The government would provide suitable compensation to 947 households in these areas and also rehabilitation to them.

The rehabilitation would be done in the first phase of the expansion work itself, he said.

The Chief Minister said all the parties, including the PMK, MDMK and the DMDK had supported the resolution. However, the opposition AIADMK did not support the resolution.

D Jayakumar, who represented the AIADMK at the meeting, submitted a memorandum to the Chief Minister "to reconsider the proposal as people in certain places have raised objections to the project."

Karunanidhi said land acquisition was estimated to cost Rs 1,000 crore. The construction would need an investment of another Rs 1,000 crore, he said.

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New airport in Chennai on AAI radar


By IE
Tuesday May 22, 02:10 AM
Even as the Tamil Nadu Government and Civil Aviation Ministry explore opportunities to modernise the Chennai airport on the lines of Delhi and Mumbai, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) is learnt to have favoured the construction of a greenfield airport in Chennai rather than going in for a makeover at the existing site.
Officials told The Indian Express that out of the two short-listed sites at Sriperumbudur and Oragudam, the AAI had found one at Sriperumbudur ideal to construct a greenfield airport. "Both the sites have been examined and the one at Sriperumbudur appears more suitable since having an airport at Oragudam would mean a clash of flight paths with the IAF's Tambaram airfield, something which would require constant coordination with the IAF authorities," an AAI official said. He added that roughly 5,000 acres needed to construct a greenfield airport are available at both the sites.

As for the existing airport, the AAI is of the view that a logical thing would be to construct a new domestic terminal and allow simultaneous use of the cross runways there. "These things can take us through till the year 2015. During that time, a greenfield airport with two parallel runways can be readied," said a source.

The Tamil Nadu Government had recently proposed to modernise the existing airport utilising 832 acres of land north of Adyar river. And even though the Civil Aviation Ministry has asked the state Government to get issues like connecting the existing infrastructure with the new land being offered sorted out by May 31, sources say the proposal has found few takers in the ministry.

"Issues relating to land acquisition, relocation of population, flooding from Adyar river and linking of new infrastructure with existing one will need to be resolved if the TN Government's proposal to expand the existing airport is accepted. Modernising the existing airport appears technically unfeasible. Only a greenfield airport appears to be a long-term solution," said a senior AAI official.

Works amounting to Rs 221.89 crore, relating to terminal buildings, parking bays, cargo building and operations block, are currently underway at the airport. Officials said once developed, these facilities would cater to a traffic demand up to 2010.

The AAI plans to construct a new domestic terminal, expand the International Terminal, construct Phase III of the Integrated Cargo Building and new parking bays at a cost of Rs 705 crore. Development of these facilities would equip the airport cater to traffic demands up to 2015, according to the AAI.

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Decision on airport expansion likely tomorrow

Chennai, May 21: The ruling DMK in Tamil Nadu is expected to take a decision on the much awaited airport expansion project at a meeting of legislature parties to be convened tomorrow.

Chief Minsiter M Karunanidhi would chair the meeting, convened to elicit the views of the leaders of legislature parties, which included the opposition AIADMK, its ally, the MDMK besides DMK allies, the Congress, PMK, CPI(M), CPI and the Dalit Panthers of India.

The DMK, which came out with a proposal to expand the existing airport couple of months ago, had to put on hold its plan, following stiff opposition from the PMK, with its founder leader Dr S Ramadoss launching a campaign against the eviction of people living near the airport.

He had suggested that instead of expanding the airport, which would displace hundreds of families, the government could go in for a green field airport near Sriperumbudur, about 40 km away from the city.

Expressing concern over the delay in expanding the airport, industrial and trade bodies had warned that if Tamil Nadu did not take up the expansion immediately, Chennai would lose the chance of becoming an international hub in the South.

--- UNI


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Airport staff oppose expansion

NT Bureau
Chennai, May 20:


In a new twist to the opposition to the Chennai airport expansion plan, the employees of the Chennai airport have planned to register their protest plan by 'blocking air traffic', if lands were forcibly acquired and people evicted at Pammal, Anakaputhur and Pozhichalur areas.

Sources in the know today said the employees have planned to obstruct air traffic by staging a dharna right at the runway if lands were taken away.

The agitation planned by the airport staff is the latest twist to the expansion plan as the scheme already faces opposition from several quarters, including the PMK, a key ally of the DMK.

The employees of the Chennai airport have decided to float an as an alternate plan, according to which the vast expanse of lands in Kelambakkam and Oragadam near Chennai could be utilised to build a new green field airport, sources added. The Ministry of Civil Aviation had planned to modernise airports in the metropolitan cities of Mumbai, Kolkata, Delhi and Chennai. and works have begun in most cities. It was decided to provide state-of-the-art facilities at these airports and plans were drawn up to expand the existing ones.

While works at Hyderabad and Bangalore airports are nearing completion they are expected to commence operations from next year.

However, the plan to expand Chennai airport suffered a jolt after the residents of Pozhichalur, Pammal and Anakaputhur opposed the decision to take away their lands for the expansion.

They staged several protests and the issue took a turn with various political parties pitching in their support for the protesting people. The Communists and the PMK, who are allies in the DMK-led coalition, also opposed the move and suggested alternative plans to the State government.

They wanted the government to go in for expansion at places like Kelambakkam and Oragadam instead of displacing hundreds of thousand of families at Pammal and adjoining areas.

However, the Civil Aviation Ministry had reportedly turned down their suggestion.

In this backdrop, to find a politically and socially acceptable solution, Chief Minister M Karunanidhi has convened a meeting of Legislture Party leaders on Tuesday to discuss the vexatious issue.

Meanwhile, sources said that as a last resort the airport staff would sage a dharna at the runway if a people friendly solution was not hammered out.


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All-party meet on city airport


Chennai, May 15: The government will be calling an all-party meet on May 22 to discuss the expansion plans of the Chennai airport, according to a government pressrelease here on Tuesday. “Chief minister M. Karunanidhi has already sent invitations to leaders of various legislative political parties urging them to participate in the meet,” it said. The Struggles Committee, formed by the residents of four villages, had been organising several protests and demonstrations against the expansion project since March 2006.

The demonstrators fear that over 4, 200 houses and places of worship would be demolished if the expansion project was implemented in a site covering Pozhichalur, Pammal and Cowl Bazar and its adjoining areas. The residents were protesting against the expansion move and were sending faxes to Mr M. Karunanidhi urging him to give up the airport expansion project. The CPM and the PMK, major allies of the DMK, were also putting pressure on the government, seeking alternate site for the proposed Greenfield airport.

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Indecisiveness bane of airport modernization

The Parliamentary panel has tabled a report that has listed indecisiveness on the part of the Civil Aviation Ministry as being a significant reason for stalling airport modernization

PTI
New Delhi: “Indecisiveness” on part of the Civil Aviation Ministry was preventing the modernization process of Kolkata and Chennai airports, according to the Parliamentary panel.

Privatized airports like Delhi and Mumbai were also not providing desired amenities to air travellers, the Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture said in a report tabled in Parliament today.

“The Committee finds that the modernization and expansion of some metro airports, particularly Kolkata and Chennai, are on hold and privatized airports like Delhi are not giving desired amenities to air passengers,” the panel, headed by CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury, said.

The report also cited that the Union Tourism Ministry was “finding it difficult” to get space at Delhi and Mumbai airports to display publicity material meant for information to foreign tourists.

Regarding modernization of Kolkata and Chennai airports, the parliamentary scrutiny body said it was “constrained to note that the indecisiveness is preventing” the modernization plans of the two airports.

Profits of Air India and Indian had declined and their merger and proper synergization of resources could enhance physical and financial performance of state-run carriers.

It recommended that a proper exercise should be carried out to identify the likely expenditure involved in the merger of the two state-owned carriers and provision for it should be made accordingly in the budget at the Revised Estimates stage.


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