Over 1000 people from the affected villages participated in the human chain protest.
All the press, magazines and television channels covered the protest. Due to some unknown reason, it was not published in any of them. Except Makkal TV, none of the television channels telecasted the protest.
CHENNAI AIRPORT EXPANSION / MODERNISATION
Monday, December 31, 2007
Sunday, December 30, 2007
HUMAN CHAIN on 31-12-2007
HUMAN CHAIN on 31-12-2007
There will be a HUMAN CHAIN on 31-12-2007(Monday) from MIOT Hospital to PORUR, to highlight our problem to the Government because of chennai airport expansion and to bring it to the notice of the Chief Minister
People from Manapakkam,Kollapakkam,Gerugambakkam, Tharapakkam and other adjoining villages are joining the HUMAN CHAIN.
Assembling Time: 2.00 P.M in MANAPAKKAM BUS TOP.
Around 2.30 HUMAN CHAIN STARTS FROM MIOT HOSPITAL.
Please make your presence with your family members.
CHENNAI AIRPORT EXPANSION / MODERNISATION
There will be a HUMAN CHAIN on 31-12-2007(Monday) from MIOT Hospital to PORUR, to highlight our problem to the Government because of chennai airport expansion and to bring it to the notice of the Chief Minister
People from Manapakkam,Kollapakkam,Gerugambakkam, Tharapakkam and other adjoining villages are joining the HUMAN CHAIN.
Assembling Time: 2.00 P.M in MANAPAKKAM BUS TOP.
Around 2.30 HUMAN CHAIN STARTS FROM MIOT HOSPITAL.
Please make your presence with your family members.
CHENNAI AIRPORT EXPANSION / MODERNISATION
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
Residents against airport expansion
25-Dec-2007
Expansion of the existing airport at Meenambakkam here will lead to environmental problems such as flooding and noise pollution, said a section of residents from Manappakkam, Kolappakkan, Gerugambakkam and Tharappakkam.
Talking to reporters on Monday, the residents who had formed an association, United People’s Forum for Survival, said the proposed runway would obstruct the draining of water from the residential areas into the Adyar River, resulting in the flooding of the neighbourhood.
The expanded airport would be very close to the densely populated localities of Mugalivakkam, Moulivakkam and Porur. They appealed to the Chief Minister to reconsider the expansion proposal and said ‘Green Field’ airport would be an ideal alternative.
http://www.hindu.com/2007/12/25/stories/2007122554740500.htm
CHENNAI AIRPORT EXPANSION / MODERNISATION
Expansion of the existing airport at Meenambakkam here will lead to environmental problems such as flooding and noise pollution, said a section of residents from Manappakkam, Kolappakkan, Gerugambakkam and Tharappakkam.
Talking to reporters on Monday, the residents who had formed an association, United People’s Forum for Survival, said the proposed runway would obstruct the draining of water from the residential areas into the Adyar River, resulting in the flooding of the neighbourhood.
The expanded airport would be very close to the densely populated localities of Mugalivakkam, Moulivakkam and Porur. They appealed to the Chief Minister to reconsider the expansion proposal and said ‘Green Field’ airport would be an ideal alternative.
http://www.hindu.com/2007/12/25/stories/2007122554740500.htm
CHENNAI AIRPORT EXPANSION / MODERNISATION
Thursday, December 20, 2007
Chennai airport to be upgraded
20-Dec-2007
Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel today submitted a fresh proposal of Rs 1,800 crore to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi for upgradation of the existing airport in Chennai.
The proposal was submitted after the state government failed to acquire land for a new greenfield airport in the state.
After the failure, the Aviation Minister decided to upgrade the facilities at the existing airport in Chennai for which the state government has promised acquiring of additional land for carrying out renovation activities.
Patel would be flying down to Chennai next month for giving a detailed presentation.
The Civil Aviation Minister also informed Karunanidhi that his ministry would be carrying out upgradation work in Trichy, Madurai, Coimbatore and Thoothukudi.
http://www.chennaionline.com/colnews/newsitem.asp?NEWSID=%7BD16373F2-9422-46B3-8E59-B88E8A8FB578%7D&CATEGORYNAME=TAMNA
Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel today submitted a fresh proposal of Rs 1,800 crore to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi for upgradation of the existing airport in Chennai.
The proposal was submitted after the state government failed to acquire land for a new greenfield airport in the state.
After the failure, the Aviation Minister decided to upgrade the facilities at the existing airport in Chennai for which the state government has promised acquiring of additional land for carrying out renovation activities.
Patel would be flying down to Chennai next month for giving a detailed presentation.
The Civil Aviation Minister also informed Karunanidhi that his ministry would be carrying out upgradation work in Trichy, Madurai, Coimbatore and Thoothukudi.
http://www.chennaionline.com/colnews/newsitem.asp?NEWSID=%7BD16373F2-9422-46B3-8E59-B88E8A8FB578%7D&CATEGORYNAME=TAMNA
Villagers stage protest against airport expansion
20-Dec-2007
CHENNAI: More than a few dozen residents of Manapakkam, Gerugambakkam, Kolapakkam and Tharapakkam organised a protest meeting against the land acquisition for the proposed airport expansion project in Manapakkam on Wednesday.
They wanted the government to consider the proposal of setting of green field airport. Most of the residents in the locality were senior citizens who had invested their hardearned money and other savings by constructing their houses here, mostly by taking loans.
“How we will pay the loan amount to the banks as the government did not specified anything on compensation.”, the residents complained.
More than a thousand families reside in the four adjoining villages. For the last two weeks, they have been receiving notices from the government, that the government might need their land for the project.
They have been asked to register their objections, if any, with the district administration before 23 January. The total land to be acquired is 1069 acres.
Residents fear that expansion project might result in environmental degradation as most of the areas would turn into low-lying areas once the project is materialised. This would result in flooding during rainy days, they added.
Agitators said that a joint action committee would be formed tomorrow to chalk out further course of action. They are also planning to hold street demonstrations and road roko to high light their plight.
http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?ID=IE920071219233607
CHENNAI: More than a few dozen residents of Manapakkam, Gerugambakkam, Kolapakkam and Tharapakkam organised a protest meeting against the land acquisition for the proposed airport expansion project in Manapakkam on Wednesday.
They wanted the government to consider the proposal of setting of green field airport. Most of the residents in the locality were senior citizens who had invested their hardearned money and other savings by constructing their houses here, mostly by taking loans.
“How we will pay the loan amount to the banks as the government did not specified anything on compensation.”, the residents complained.
More than a thousand families reside in the four adjoining villages. For the last two weeks, they have been receiving notices from the government, that the government might need their land for the project.
They have been asked to register their objections, if any, with the district administration before 23 January. The total land to be acquired is 1069 acres.
Residents fear that expansion project might result in environmental degradation as most of the areas would turn into low-lying areas once the project is materialised. This would result in flooding during rainy days, they added.
Agitators said that a joint action committee would be formed tomorrow to chalk out further course of action. They are also planning to hold street demonstrations and road roko to high light their plight.
http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?ID=IE920071219233607
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
AAI Tender for Soil Investigation - Yet to be started
Extension of Secondary Runway 12 beginning excluding bridge portion, taxi Track and additional parking bays at Chennai Airport, Chennai. SH: Soil Investigation”
AIRPORTS AUTHORITY OF INDIA
CHENNAI AIRPORT PROJECT: CHENNAI -27
CIVIL DIVISION – IV
TENDER NOTICE
1. Sealed tenders are invited by the Sr. Manager (Engg-C)-IV, AAI, Chennai Airport Project Chennai 600 027 on behalf of Chairman, AAI from AAI empanelled agencies having completed similar nature of work for the work of “Extension of Secondary Runway 12 beginning excluding bridge portion, taxi Track and additional parking bays at Chennai Airport, Chennai. SH: Soil Investigation” with an estimated cost of Rs.12.00 lakhs (approx.). Time allowed for completion of work is 02 (two) months. Tenders will be issued upto 28.12.2007, received till 07.01.2008 upto 1500 hrs and opened on the same day at 1530 hrs. The scope of work covers Plate load test, Bore hole, details for classification of Soil, SBC, CBR test etc.
AIRPORTS AUTHORITY OF INDIA
CHENNAI AIRPORT PROJECT: CHENNAI -27
CIVIL DIVISION – IV
TENDER NOTICE
1. Sealed tenders are invited by the Sr. Manager (Engg-C)-IV, AAI, Chennai Airport Project Chennai 600 027 on behalf of Chairman, AAI from AAI empanelled agencies having completed similar nature of work for the work of “Extension of Secondary Runway 12 beginning excluding bridge portion, taxi Track and additional parking bays at Chennai Airport, Chennai. SH: Soil Investigation” with an estimated cost of Rs.12.00 lakhs (approx.). Time allowed for completion of work is 02 (two) months. Tenders will be issued upto 28.12.2007, received till 07.01.2008 upto 1500 hrs and opened on the same day at 1530 hrs. The scope of work covers Plate load test, Bore hole, details for classification of Soil, SBC, CBR test etc.
Take-off on time
18-Dec-2007
Since the Chennai Airport currently handles an average of 329 aircraft every day, the authorities have opened a second runway for take-offs. The airport will now be able to facilitate two take-offs in two minutes, compared to its earlier figures of one every three minutes.
The high volume of air traffic also requires an optimum use of air space. The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has, therefore, bifurcated the Area Control Centre into the East and West sectors. Flights coming into each sector will be handled by an Air Traffic Controller (ATC) using a separate frequency.Chief Secretary L K Tripathy inaugurated the cross-runway and newly bifurcated Area Control Centre operations on Sunday.
Until now, the newer 2,085-metre-long runway, which intersects the 3,658-metre-long main runway, was used only when the main strip was closed for maintenance.Both will now function in cross-runway operations, thereby permitting an aircraft to take off as soon as another plane landing on the main strip clears the intersection between the two runways.
The secondary runway cannot be used for landing since it does not have an Instrument Landing System.This sequential operation of both runways will ensure more departures and increase the capacity to handle aircraft from 25 to 32 an hour.
“Procedures have been developed to use the secondary runway 12/30 for departures and the main runway 07/25 for both departures and arrivals .
This move is aimed at enhancing the capacity of the airport using the existing infrastructure,” said K Ramalingam, Regional Executive Director, Southern Region, AAI.In addition to the daily average of 329 aircraft movements, the Air Traffic Control Tower handles over 800 aircraft which fly over the city.
Earlier, one ATC would communicate with all the aircraft entering the airspace controlled by the Chennai centre. The new system will ensure faster and better handling of all aircraft. The East sector will control the airspace on the Chennai-Bangalore- Kolkata route along the sea side while the West will control the routes from Thiruvanathapuram to Mumbai.
Now, the ATC will handle 40 per cent of the traffic in the East and the remaining 60 per cent in the West. The system is expected to reduce delays in the operation of aircraft at the airport.
http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?ID=IE920071217230425
Since the Chennai Airport currently handles an average of 329 aircraft every day, the authorities have opened a second runway for take-offs. The airport will now be able to facilitate two take-offs in two minutes, compared to its earlier figures of one every three minutes.
The high volume of air traffic also requires an optimum use of air space. The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has, therefore, bifurcated the Area Control Centre into the East and West sectors. Flights coming into each sector will be handled by an Air Traffic Controller (ATC) using a separate frequency.Chief Secretary L K Tripathy inaugurated the cross-runway and newly bifurcated Area Control Centre operations on Sunday.
Until now, the newer 2,085-metre-long runway, which intersects the 3,658-metre-long main runway, was used only when the main strip was closed for maintenance.Both will now function in cross-runway operations, thereby permitting an aircraft to take off as soon as another plane landing on the main strip clears the intersection between the two runways.
The secondary runway cannot be used for landing since it does not have an Instrument Landing System.This sequential operation of both runways will ensure more departures and increase the capacity to handle aircraft from 25 to 32 an hour.
“Procedures have been developed to use the secondary runway 12/30 for departures and the main runway 07/25 for both departures and arrivals .
This move is aimed at enhancing the capacity of the airport using the existing infrastructure,” said K Ramalingam, Regional Executive Director, Southern Region, AAI.In addition to the daily average of 329 aircraft movements, the Air Traffic Control Tower handles over 800 aircraft which fly over the city.
Earlier, one ATC would communicate with all the aircraft entering the airspace controlled by the Chennai centre. The new system will ensure faster and better handling of all aircraft. The East sector will control the airspace on the Chennai-Bangalore- Kolkata route along the sea side while the West will control the routes from Thiruvanathapuram to Mumbai.
Now, the ATC will handle 40 per cent of the traffic in the East and the remaining 60 per cent in the West. The system is expected to reduce delays in the operation of aircraft at the airport.
http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?ID=IE920071217230425
Cross runway operations on trial
18-Dec-2007
CHENNAI: The cross runway operations on a trial basis were inaugurated at the Chennai airport on Sunday.
The Airports Authority of India (AAI) officials said the Chennai Air Traffic Control Tower now handled on an average 329 movements per day, over 800 aircraft transit through Chennai Area Control Centre.
The volume of traffic needed some enhancement of runway capacity as well airspace capacity. This resulted in two new initiatives – cross runway operations and bifurcation of area control centre, said an officer.
At present, the operations were carried out using the main runway for both arrivals and departures, which had reached the maximum handling capacity of 25 movements an hour. Hence, a new procedure had been designed to permit the use of secondary runway for departures and the main runway for both departures and arrivals to enable the airport to handle nearly 32 movements an hour. This would result in a significant 25 per cent increase in traffic handling capacity, the officer said.
Cross runway operations would help in increasing handling capacity of movements per hour and reduce holding time by three to five minutes for departures and arrivals, leading to lesser fuel consumption and aircraft emission. At present, the Area Control Centre in Chennai on an average handled 1,130 flights daily, which is expected to grow further. In order to reduce communication congestion, controller workload and enhancing the operational efficiency and safety, sectorisation had been planned.
Under this, the existing Area Control Centre would be divided laterally into East and West sectors. Before implementing sectorisation, preliminary safety assessment trials were conducted, which indicated considerable benefits from bifurcation.
CHENNAI: The cross runway operations on a trial basis were inaugurated at the Chennai airport on Sunday.
The Airports Authority of India (AAI) officials said the Chennai Air Traffic Control Tower now handled on an average 329 movements per day, over 800 aircraft transit through Chennai Area Control Centre.
The volume of traffic needed some enhancement of runway capacity as well airspace capacity. This resulted in two new initiatives – cross runway operations and bifurcation of area control centre, said an officer.
At present, the operations were carried out using the main runway for both arrivals and departures, which had reached the maximum handling capacity of 25 movements an hour. Hence, a new procedure had been designed to permit the use of secondary runway for departures and the main runway for both departures and arrivals to enable the airport to handle nearly 32 movements an hour. This would result in a significant 25 per cent increase in traffic handling capacity, the officer said.
Cross runway operations would help in increasing handling capacity of movements per hour and reduce holding time by three to five minutes for departures and arrivals, leading to lesser fuel consumption and aircraft emission. At present, the Area Control Centre in Chennai on an average handled 1,130 flights daily, which is expected to grow further. In order to reduce communication congestion, controller workload and enhancing the operational efficiency and safety, sectorisation had been planned.
Under this, the existing Area Control Centre would be divided laterally into East and West sectors. Before implementing sectorisation, preliminary safety assessment trials were conducted, which indicated considerable benefits from bifurcation.
Monday, December 17, 2007
Tripathy holds talks with officials
16-Dec-2007
Chief Secretary L K Tripathy on Sunday held discussions with the top officials of the Chennai airport over the subject of land acquisition for its expansion project.
Though the Central government has come forward to implement the project, due to stiff opposition, it was temporarily shelved.
Nearly 50,000 families who would be affected during the acquisition of land had staged protests against the expansion project of the airport.
Also, political parties including the AIADMK and the PMK have joined the fray lending support to the local people who would be dislocated if the authorities moved ahead with the land acquisition.
With strong resistance from people, the airport management had decided to put off land acquisition. But the State government came forward to provide land in an alternate site at Manappakam for the airport management.
Tripathy visited the airport and held talks with higher officials of the airport management on the issue of expansion project including the sensitive topic of land acquisition for over one-hour, according to sources.
http://www.newstodaynet.com/newsindex.php?id=3158%20&%20section=7
Chief Secretary L K Tripathy on Sunday held discussions with the top officials of the Chennai airport over the subject of land acquisition for its expansion project.
Though the Central government has come forward to implement the project, due to stiff opposition, it was temporarily shelved.
Nearly 50,000 families who would be affected during the acquisition of land had staged protests against the expansion project of the airport.
Also, political parties including the AIADMK and the PMK have joined the fray lending support to the local people who would be dislocated if the authorities moved ahead with the land acquisition.
With strong resistance from people, the airport management had decided to put off land acquisition. But the State government came forward to provide land in an alternate site at Manappakam for the airport management.
Tripathy visited the airport and held talks with higher officials of the airport management on the issue of expansion project including the sensitive topic of land acquisition for over one-hour, according to sources.
http://www.newstodaynet.com/newsindex.php?id=3158%20&%20section=7
TN Chief Secy holds talks on airport expansion project
16-Dec-2007
CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Chief Secretary L K Tripathy on Sunday visited the city airport and held discussions with the officials on the airport expansion project. Sources said that Tripathy spoke to the top officials over the land acquisition for the new airport planned at Manapakkam village in Kanchipuram district.
On Dec 5, 2007, the Madras High Court had restrained the Tamil Nadu government from proceeding further on acquisition of lands of Manapakkam village, after 15 persons approached the court to stay the land acquisition.
The government has identified 1,070 acres in Sriperumbudur taluk for the expansion of the Chennai airport.
CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Chief Secretary L K Tripathy on Sunday visited the city airport and held discussions with the officials on the airport expansion project. Sources said that Tripathy spoke to the top officials over the land acquisition for the new airport planned at Manapakkam village in Kanchipuram district.
On Dec 5, 2007, the Madras High Court had restrained the Tamil Nadu government from proceeding further on acquisition of lands of Manapakkam village, after 15 persons approached the court to stay the land acquisition.
The government has identified 1,070 acres in Sriperumbudur taluk for the expansion of the Chennai airport.
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
HC stays land acquisition for airport expansion
06-Dec-2007
CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has restrained the authorities from acquiring land in Manapakkam village in Kanchipuram district for the proposed airport expansion project.
Justice P Jyothimani on Wednesday granted the injunction for two weeks, while passing interim orders on writ petitions from K Parthiban of Mangadu and 14 others challenging the project.
The State Government had decided to acquire 1,569 acres in in Kanchipuram for the project. The petitioners contended that the State had no power to acquire land for the project.
Section 19 of the Airport Authority of India Act, 1994, provided that power for acquisition of land for any purpose relating to the airport was only with the Centre.
Believing the statement of the CMDA that the land would not be acquired for the project, petitioners had purchased them and put up constructions.
Many buildings were ready for occupation. The statement of the CMDA issued had the binding force and over-riding effect in respect of the Master Plan. They had purchased the land only ascertaining that there was no encumbrance.
Acquisition of their property would totally ruin them, petitioners contended. They sought to restrain the Transport Department, Kanchipuram Collector and Sriperumbudur Tahsildar from proceeding with the acquisition.
CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has restrained the authorities from acquiring land in Manapakkam village in Kanchipuram district for the proposed airport expansion project.
Justice P Jyothimani on Wednesday granted the injunction for two weeks, while passing interim orders on writ petitions from K Parthiban of Mangadu and 14 others challenging the project.
The State Government had decided to acquire 1,569 acres in in Kanchipuram for the project. The petitioners contended that the State had no power to acquire land for the project.
Section 19 of the Airport Authority of India Act, 1994, provided that power for acquisition of land for any purpose relating to the airport was only with the Centre.
Believing the statement of the CMDA that the land would not be acquired for the project, petitioners had purchased them and put up constructions.
Many buildings were ready for occupation. The statement of the CMDA issued had the binding force and over-riding effect in respect of the Master Plan. They had purchased the land only ascertaining that there was no encumbrance.
Acquisition of their property would totally ruin them, petitioners contended. They sought to restrain the Transport Department, Kanchipuram Collector and Sriperumbudur Tahsildar from proceeding with the acquisition.
Airport project: land acquisition notices stayed
06-Dec-2007
CHENNAI: The operation of individual acquisition notices issued to owners of lands, identified for the Chennai Airport Expansion Project, was stayed by the Madras High Court on Wednesday.
Admitting the petition filed by 15 residents of Marvel Riverview County Phase II in Manapakkam, Justice P. Jyothimani issued notices to State Transport Secretary, Kancheepuram District Collector and Sriperumbudur tahsildar.
When the matter came up for admission on Wednesday, the Additional Government Pleader sought two weeks’ time to file counter.
Granting time, the Judge said, “In the meantime there shall be an interim injunction.”
The matter was adjourned to December 19 for further proceedings.
The petition challenged the legislative competence of the State Government to initiate the acquisition proceedings when parliamentary legislations – the Aircraft Act and Airports Authority of India Act 1994 – had the exclusive jurisdiction for acquiring lands.
K.M. Vijayan, senior counsel for the petitioners, submitted that the Union Government was the appropriate authority to decide the place of airport and land acquisition for airport.
The petitioners, further, contended that the notices were issued under the Tamil Nadu Acquisition of Land for Industrial Purposes Act, and added that the Act was not applicable for the purpose of airport expansion.
CHENNAI: The operation of individual acquisition notices issued to owners of lands, identified for the Chennai Airport Expansion Project, was stayed by the Madras High Court on Wednesday.
Admitting the petition filed by 15 residents of Marvel Riverview County Phase II in Manapakkam, Justice P. Jyothimani issued notices to State Transport Secretary, Kancheepuram District Collector and Sriperumbudur tahsildar.
When the matter came up for admission on Wednesday, the Additional Government Pleader sought two weeks’ time to file counter.
Granting time, the Judge said, “In the meantime there shall be an interim injunction.”
The matter was adjourned to December 19 for further proceedings.
The petition challenged the legislative competence of the State Government to initiate the acquisition proceedings when parliamentary legislations – the Aircraft Act and Airports Authority of India Act 1994 – had the exclusive jurisdiction for acquiring lands.
K.M. Vijayan, senior counsel for the petitioners, submitted that the Union Government was the appropriate authority to decide the place of airport and land acquisition for airport.
The petitioners, further, contended that the notices were issued under the Tamil Nadu Acquisition of Land for Industrial Purposes Act, and added that the Act was not applicable for the purpose of airport expansion.
Protests rage against airport expansion projects
23-Nov-2007
Indian Express
Protests rage against airport expansion projects
Gerugambakkam families face ‘homeless' situation
What do you do when something you struggled to build with blood, sweat and tears is threatened? With the government planning to acquire their lands for the airport expansion project, the 1,000-odd families in Gerugambakkam are facing some of their worst fears.
Most residents of in the area are daily wage earners, who paid for the land in instalments. Unmindful of this, the government and the Airports Authority of India (AAI), have chosen Gerugambakkam for the construction of a parallel runway."Many of us have bought the land by saving money earned from years of hard labour. Now, we have no place to go,'' said Hafeez Hussain, a resident of the area.
Some people have not completed the registration of their plots due to financial constraints. They fear that they may not be eligible for an alternative site due to the lack of registration. Villagers allege that the village administrative officers (VAOs) did not inform residents about the government decisions.
‘'Earlier, some of the officials told us not to worry as the government had dropped the idea of using our locality.However, after a few months, other officials told us that we would be asked to vacate by January. We have not been able to know what the real picture is,'' said Jagadambal, a resident.
On approaching the officials of the village administration department, residents were reportedly told that land had been allotted for them in Kovur, though no such assurance was given.Villagers charge that many parts of Gerugambakkam are approved as purely residential areas. Despite this, the government has given permission for the construction of the runway.
Residents also question why the AAI, which had previously dropped the idea of using the land, terming it ‘'unfeasible'', chose to use it now.They add that even if the runway is constructed, it will be prone to floods as the Adyar river, flowing through the area, gets flooded during the rainy season.
Protest against ‘official' silence
Residents at Gerugambakkam staged a road roko at Kunrathur Road on Thursday since the village administrative officers failed to inform them about the decisions taken by the government. Since most villagers were either illiterate or daily wage earners, they did not read about the project from the newspapers, they said.
‘'Government officials come to survey our land but they never tell us the decision that the government has taken. This is not the right way to run an administration. This is our land and we have the right to know,'' said Raja, a resident of Lakshmi Nagar in Gerugambakkam.
Residents also alleged that the officials, who came to conduct surveys, did not show any proof of identity. Therefore, they were unwilling to present their documents to these ‘officials', suspect ing foul play
http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?ID=IE920071123000337
Indian Express
Protests rage against airport expansion projects
Gerugambakkam families face ‘homeless' situation
What do you do when something you struggled to build with blood, sweat and tears is threatened? With the government planning to acquire their lands for the airport expansion project, the 1,000-odd families in Gerugambakkam are facing some of their worst fears.
Most residents of in the area are daily wage earners, who paid for the land in instalments. Unmindful of this, the government and the Airports Authority of India (AAI), have chosen Gerugambakkam for the construction of a parallel runway."Many of us have bought the land by saving money earned from years of hard labour. Now, we have no place to go,'' said Hafeez Hussain, a resident of the area.
Some people have not completed the registration of their plots due to financial constraints. They fear that they may not be eligible for an alternative site due to the lack of registration. Villagers allege that the village administrative officers (VAOs) did not inform residents about the government decisions.
‘'Earlier, some of the officials told us not to worry as the government had dropped the idea of using our locality.However, after a few months, other officials told us that we would be asked to vacate by January. We have not been able to know what the real picture is,'' said Jagadambal, a resident.
On approaching the officials of the village administration department, residents were reportedly told that land had been allotted for them in Kovur, though no such assurance was given.Villagers charge that many parts of Gerugambakkam are approved as purely residential areas. Despite this, the government has given permission for the construction of the runway.
Residents also question why the AAI, which had previously dropped the idea of using the land, terming it ‘'unfeasible'', chose to use it now.They add that even if the runway is constructed, it will be prone to floods as the Adyar river, flowing through the area, gets flooded during the rainy season.
Protest against ‘official' silence
Residents at Gerugambakkam staged a road roko at Kunrathur Road on Thursday since the village administrative officers failed to inform them about the decisions taken by the government. Since most villagers were either illiterate or daily wage earners, they did not read about the project from the newspapers, they said.
‘'Government officials come to survey our land but they never tell us the decision that the government has taken. This is not the right way to run an administration. This is our land and we have the right to know,'' said Raja, a resident of Lakshmi Nagar in Gerugambakkam.
Residents also alleged that the officials, who came to conduct surveys, did not show any proof of identity. Therefore, they were unwilling to present their documents to these ‘officials', suspect ing foul play
http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?ID=IE920071123000337
Land acquisition begins for Chennai airport expansion
22-Nov-2007
1069.99 acres to be acquired for construction of second runway
Four special units set up to handle processes
Notices issued to landowners; acquisition will be completed by January
KANCHEEPURAM: The Kancheepuram district administration has started land acquisition for expansion of the Chennai airport.
An official source said the work began after the Government gave administrative sanction for the project last month. A total of 1069.99 acres would be acquired at Manappakkam, Kolappakkam, Gerugambakkam and Tharaippakkam villages for the construction of a second runway.
Authorities have issued notices to landowners under the Tamil Nadu Acquisition of Land for Industrial Purposes Act, 1997.
The district administration has set up four special units, comprising tahsildhars, deputy tahsildhars and surveyors besides administrative staff members, to handle the process. Perimeter wall
The acquisition will be completed by January. Thereafter, the land will be handed over to the Airports Authority of India (AAI), which would construct a perimeter wall around the area and begin runway construction work. More connectivity
Union Civil Aviation Ministry officials have announced that the construction will begin in January. AAI officials are planning to build a runway beyond the Adyar river. Connectivity will be created between the airport and the new runway by constructing box culverts.
1069.99 acres to be acquired for construction of second runway
Four special units set up to handle processes
Notices issued to landowners; acquisition will be completed by January
KANCHEEPURAM: The Kancheepuram district administration has started land acquisition for expansion of the Chennai airport.
An official source said the work began after the Government gave administrative sanction for the project last month. A total of 1069.99 acres would be acquired at Manappakkam, Kolappakkam, Gerugambakkam and Tharaippakkam villages for the construction of a second runway.
Authorities have issued notices to landowners under the Tamil Nadu Acquisition of Land for Industrial Purposes Act, 1997.
The district administration has set up four special units, comprising tahsildhars, deputy tahsildhars and surveyors besides administrative staff members, to handle the process. Perimeter wall
The acquisition will be completed by January. Thereafter, the land will be handed over to the Airports Authority of India (AAI), which would construct a perimeter wall around the area and begin runway construction work. More connectivity
Union Civil Aviation Ministry officials have announced that the construction will begin in January. AAI officials are planning to build a runway beyond the Adyar river. Connectivity will be created between the airport and the new runway by constructing box culverts.
Airport expansion plan sparks turbulence
18-Nov-2007
Chennai airport expansion gets turbulent as local people are infuriated over 300 new houses to be demolished to construct the parallel runway.
These houses under construction will soon be demolished. The state government is acquiring 1070 acres of land between Manapakkam and Tharapakkam for the expansion plan despite having approved this area for construction earlier.
Kalyanaraman a victim of proposed demolition said, ''In all fairness the government should look for a different plan. Most of these families have already obtained loans. They are now required to repay although their dream homes will soon come under the hammer.''
Tamilselvan another victim said, ''No more construction has taken place Still we have been paying EMIs of twenty thousand rupees.''
Sathya also lost his house and said that because of agony and mental torture they are not able to concentrate on anything.
The state government says this is the only option which causes the least displacement and has assured people reasonable compensation.
With real estate prices sky rocketing in Chennai this is no consolation for those who are losing their lifetime earnings. It also raises the question that those who built their houses in government approved land be penalized.
WATCH THE VIDEO IN NDTV
http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/videopod/default.aspx?id=19617
Chennai airport expansion gets turbulent as local people are infuriated over 300 new houses to be demolished to construct the parallel runway.
These houses under construction will soon be demolished. The state government is acquiring 1070 acres of land between Manapakkam and Tharapakkam for the expansion plan despite having approved this area for construction earlier.
Kalyanaraman a victim of proposed demolition said, ''In all fairness the government should look for a different plan. Most of these families have already obtained loans. They are now required to repay although their dream homes will soon come under the hammer.''
Tamilselvan another victim said, ''No more construction has taken place Still we have been paying EMIs of twenty thousand rupees.''
Sathya also lost his house and said that because of agony and mental torture they are not able to concentrate on anything.
The state government says this is the only option which causes the least displacement and has assured people reasonable compensation.
With real estate prices sky rocketing in Chennai this is no consolation for those who are losing their lifetime earnings. It also raises the question that those who built their houses in government approved land be penalized.
WATCH THE VIDEO IN NDTV
http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/videopod/default.aspx?id=19617
Residents of villages urge State to identify alternative land for airport expansion
18-Nov-2007
They allege that the present proposal to acquire land is unilateral
TAMBARAM: A large number of residents of Gerugambakkam and adjoining villages near Porur met on Saturday, urging the State government and Airports Authority of India to identify and acquire vacant land for modernisation and expansion of the Chennai Airport land for developing a greenfield airport.
Residents of Gerugambakkam, Manapakkam, Thaarapakkam, Kolapakkam and Kovur villages, that are constituent villages of the Kunrathur Panchayat Union of Kancheepuram district, met at E.V.P. Town in Gerugambakkam.
They told reporters that the State government’s proposal to acquire more than 1,000 acres for the proposed expansion and modernisation of the airport came as a rude shock to them. Though the Centre had made it clear that a humane approach should be adopted during land acquisition for development works, the present proposal of the State government was unilateral, speakers at the meeting said.
Referring to a note issued by the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority in June 2006, K. Balesh, a resident, said it was specifically mentioned that land coming under certain survey numbers in Gerugambakkam and Thaarapakkam villages were classified under ‘Primary Residential Use Zone and it is not affected by the proposed International Airport in Kancheepuram district’.
But the same villages were now proposed to be acquired for the airport project.
“The statements of the various State government departments are contradictory,” said G. Mohan, another resident.
Not less than 1,000 families would be affected if land in these places were acquired for the project, they said.
They allege that the present proposal to acquire land is unilateral
TAMBARAM: A large number of residents of Gerugambakkam and adjoining villages near Porur met on Saturday, urging the State government and Airports Authority of India to identify and acquire vacant land for modernisation and expansion of the Chennai Airport land for developing a greenfield airport.
Residents of Gerugambakkam, Manapakkam, Thaarapakkam, Kolapakkam and Kovur villages, that are constituent villages of the Kunrathur Panchayat Union of Kancheepuram district, met at E.V.P. Town in Gerugambakkam.
They told reporters that the State government’s proposal to acquire more than 1,000 acres for the proposed expansion and modernisation of the airport came as a rude shock to them. Though the Centre had made it clear that a humane approach should be adopted during land acquisition for development works, the present proposal of the State government was unilateral, speakers at the meeting said.
Referring to a note issued by the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority in June 2006, K. Balesh, a resident, said it was specifically mentioned that land coming under certain survey numbers in Gerugambakkam and Thaarapakkam villages were classified under ‘Primary Residential Use Zone and it is not affected by the proposed International Airport in Kancheepuram district’.
But the same villages were now proposed to be acquired for the airport project.
“The statements of the various State government departments are contradictory,” said G. Mohan, another resident.
Not less than 1,000 families would be affected if land in these places were acquired for the project, they said.
Press Release - Ministry of Civil Aviation
13-Nov-2007
Part of press release
EXPANSION/MODERNISATION OF CHENNAI AIRPORT:
Committee on Infrastructure, in its 14th meeting held on 18.04.2007 decided that the Chennai Airport would be developed by Airports Authority of India (AAI) from its own resources. An Inter-Ministerial Group (IMG) under the Chairmanship of Secretary was constituted to finalise the Action Plan for development of Chennai airport. AAI has prepared a detailed Action Plan for development of airport at a cost of Rs. 2062 crores.
The salient feature of Action Plan as under:
The project envisages expansion of domestic terminal building by 72700 sq.m. to cater additional 10 million passengers p.a. The international terminal building is to be expanded by another 64300 sq.m. to cater to additional 4 million passengers p.a. Total passenger handling capacity will, therefore, become 23 million passengers p.a. (16 mppa domestic + 7 mppa international).
Expansion of secondary runway so that airport is able to handle 50 aircraft movements per hour. This capacity is expected to be sufficient to cater to air side requirements up to 2015-16.
The cost of development of terminal building and city side activities, including a multi level car park, is estimated to be Rs.1527 crores out of which Rs.638 crores would be on new domestic terminal building, Rs.532 crores on extension of international terminal, Rs.141 crores on facelift/modification of existing terminals and Rs.206.77 crores on multi level car park including commercial development. The apron work consisting of expansion of secondary runway, construction of taxiway and additional bays would cost Rs.535 crores. The project is estimated to be financially viable with an IRR (pre tax) of 12.3% and ERR (pre tax) of 12.6%, on completion of project basis.
Remodeling of the existing domestic and international terminal buildings to accommodate further 13 million domestic passengers and 3 million international passengers, in the second phase.
Completion of terminal and city side work by June 2010 and air side by February 2010.
Part of press release
EXPANSION/MODERNISATION OF CHENNAI AIRPORT:
Committee on Infrastructure, in its 14th meeting held on 18.04.2007 decided that the Chennai Airport would be developed by Airports Authority of India (AAI) from its own resources. An Inter-Ministerial Group (IMG) under the Chairmanship of Secretary was constituted to finalise the Action Plan for development of Chennai airport. AAI has prepared a detailed Action Plan for development of airport at a cost of Rs. 2062 crores.
The salient feature of Action Plan as under:
The project envisages expansion of domestic terminal building by 72700 sq.m. to cater additional 10 million passengers p.a. The international terminal building is to be expanded by another 64300 sq.m. to cater to additional 4 million passengers p.a. Total passenger handling capacity will, therefore, become 23 million passengers p.a. (16 mppa domestic + 7 mppa international).
Expansion of secondary runway so that airport is able to handle 50 aircraft movements per hour. This capacity is expected to be sufficient to cater to air side requirements up to 2015-16.
The cost of development of terminal building and city side activities, including a multi level car park, is estimated to be Rs.1527 crores out of which Rs.638 crores would be on new domestic terminal building, Rs.532 crores on extension of international terminal, Rs.141 crores on facelift/modification of existing terminals and Rs.206.77 crores on multi level car park including commercial development. The apron work consisting of expansion of secondary runway, construction of taxiway and additional bays would cost Rs.535 crores. The project is estimated to be financially viable with an IRR (pre tax) of 12.3% and ERR (pre tax) of 12.6%, on completion of project basis.
Remodeling of the existing domestic and international terminal buildings to accommodate further 13 million domestic passengers and 3 million international passengers, in the second phase.
Completion of terminal and city side work by June 2010 and air side by February 2010.
Work on Chennai, Kolkata airports upgrade by March
13-Nov-2007
The work on upgrading Chennai and Kolkata airports would begin not later than March next year, the Minister for Civil Aviation Mr Praful Patel, said on Tuesday.
Addressing the Economic Editors’ Conference, the Minister said the projects have been approved by the Airports Authority of India (AAI) which would be carrying them out.
New announcement
The Minister also announced that from next year, international airlines would be permitted to land at the Calicut airport. “There has been a 100 per cent increase in international and domestic airlines operating to-and from-Kerala since 2004,” the Minister pointed out.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Civil Aviation is considering a proposal to allow more than one airport in a particular region. Currently, the Government policy does not allow an international airport to come up within 150 km of an existing airport.
The Ministry is reconsidering this as the policy may hamper the growth of the industry, officials said.
Talking about the development of airport infrastructure, Mr Patel said that a policy on greenfield aspect would be in place by early next year.
Sunrise sector
The Minister felt that the aviation industry was a sunrise sector, which over the next decade would see an increase of more than 1,000 aircraft and would also attract investment of $150 billion. “The aviation industry alone would create around three million jobs,” the Minister said.
Stating that there was no ban on allowing more airlines to start, Mr Patel said that the Ministry was now scrutinising business plans and financial health of the promoters before giving approvals.
The work on upgrading Chennai and Kolkata airports would begin not later than March next year, the Minister for Civil Aviation Mr Praful Patel, said on Tuesday.
Addressing the Economic Editors’ Conference, the Minister said the projects have been approved by the Airports Authority of India (AAI) which would be carrying them out.
New announcement
The Minister also announced that from next year, international airlines would be permitted to land at the Calicut airport. “There has been a 100 per cent increase in international and domestic airlines operating to-and from-Kerala since 2004,” the Minister pointed out.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Civil Aviation is considering a proposal to allow more than one airport in a particular region. Currently, the Government policy does not allow an international airport to come up within 150 km of an existing airport.
The Ministry is reconsidering this as the policy may hamper the growth of the industry, officials said.
Talking about the development of airport infrastructure, Mr Patel said that a policy on greenfield aspect would be in place by early next year.
Sunrise sector
The Minister felt that the aviation industry was a sunrise sector, which over the next decade would see an increase of more than 1,000 aircraft and would also attract investment of $150 billion. “The aviation industry alone would create around three million jobs,” the Minister said.
Stating that there was no ban on allowing more airlines to start, Mr Patel said that the Ministry was now scrutinising business plans and financial health of the promoters before giving approvals.
Work on Kolkata, Chennai airport modernisation to begin by Mar
13-Nov-2007
New Delhi, Nov 13 (PTI) The country's software hubs Bangalore and Hyderabad will have new airports by March next year, while work for modernising the existing airports in Kolkata and Chennai will also begin around the same time.
Addressing the Economic Editors' Conference here, Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel also said three new airports would come up in the Northeastern region at Pekyong in Sikkim, Itanagar in Arunachal Pradesh and Kohima in Nagaland.
In an effort to provide air connectivity across the country, the ministry has been encouraging state governments to come up with proposals to establish airports or develop the existing infrastructure such as airstrips there.
"There is a change in the mindset and state governments are taking pro-active steps. In the last six months, states like Karnataka, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat, have shown interest in developing airports bringing in joint venture firms," Patel said.
On Kolkata airport modernisation, he said Airports Authority of India (AAI) had prepared a detailed action plan for developing it at a cost of about Rs 1,943 crore.
The work includes extension of secondary runway, apron, upgrading Air Traffic Controller, communication and navigational equipments along with the construction of an integrated passenger terminal building with an annual capacity of handling 20 million passengers.
Chennai airport development would cost an estimated Rs 2,062 crore and involve expansion of the secondary runway, expansion and remodelling of domestic and international terminals and city-side development.
New Delhi, Nov 13 (PTI) The country's software hubs Bangalore and Hyderabad will have new airports by March next year, while work for modernising the existing airports in Kolkata and Chennai will also begin around the same time.
Addressing the Economic Editors' Conference here, Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel also said three new airports would come up in the Northeastern region at Pekyong in Sikkim, Itanagar in Arunachal Pradesh and Kohima in Nagaland.
In an effort to provide air connectivity across the country, the ministry has been encouraging state governments to come up with proposals to establish airports or develop the existing infrastructure such as airstrips there.
"There is a change in the mindset and state governments are taking pro-active steps. In the last six months, states like Karnataka, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat, have shown interest in developing airports bringing in joint venture firms," Patel said.
On Kolkata airport modernisation, he said Airports Authority of India (AAI) had prepared a detailed action plan for developing it at a cost of about Rs 1,943 crore.
The work includes extension of secondary runway, apron, upgrading Air Traffic Controller, communication and navigational equipments along with the construction of an integrated passenger terminal building with an annual capacity of handling 20 million passengers.
Chennai airport development would cost an estimated Rs 2,062 crore and involve expansion of the secondary runway, expansion and remodelling of domestic and international terminals and city-side development.
Chennai airport project contract likely by Feb
04-Nov-2007
New Delhi, Nov. 3 The development work for Chennai airport is likely to be completed by June 2010 with the Airports Authority of India (AAI) planning to award the contract by the middle of February next year and give the winning bidder 28 months to complete the project.
Official sources told Business Line that the AAI Board had approved a detailed project report for the development of the airport and a note had been sent to the Ministry of Civil Aviation for holding a Public Investment Board meeting to enable the project to move ahead. The PIB approval is required as the project cost exceeds Rs 150 crore, officials indicated.
New domestic terminal
During the first phase, which is to be completed by 2010, there are plans for two multilevel car-parking areas, each with space for 1,200 vehicles. In addition, there would be a new domestic terminal that can handle 10 million passengers annually.
The new construction would allow the airport to handle an additional 4 million international and 10 million domestic passengers annually, thereby taking the annual handling capacity to 16 million domestic passengers and 7 million international passengers. There are plans for 72 check-in counters for international passengers and 62 counters for domestic passengers. The airport’s arrival hall would have four aerobridges for international passengers and six aerobridges for domestic passengers.
The project cost is an estimated Rs 2,062 crore, including Rs 638 crore for construction of a new domestic terminal and more than Rs 500 crore for modification and extension of the international terminal.
City-side development
An additional Rs 140 crore is the estimated cost of giving a facelift to the existing domestic and international terminals, along with city-side development.
The cost of a new domestic terminal, modification, extension and facelift of existing terminals, and multilevel car park with city-side development has been estimated at more than Rs 1,500 crore.
New Delhi, Nov. 3 The development work for Chennai airport is likely to be completed by June 2010 with the Airports Authority of India (AAI) planning to award the contract by the middle of February next year and give the winning bidder 28 months to complete the project.
Official sources told Business Line that the AAI Board had approved a detailed project report for the development of the airport and a note had been sent to the Ministry of Civil Aviation for holding a Public Investment Board meeting to enable the project to move ahead. The PIB approval is required as the project cost exceeds Rs 150 crore, officials indicated.
New domestic terminal
During the first phase, which is to be completed by 2010, there are plans for two multilevel car-parking areas, each with space for 1,200 vehicles. In addition, there would be a new domestic terminal that can handle 10 million passengers annually.
The new construction would allow the airport to handle an additional 4 million international and 10 million domestic passengers annually, thereby taking the annual handling capacity to 16 million domestic passengers and 7 million international passengers. There are plans for 72 check-in counters for international passengers and 62 counters for domestic passengers. The airport’s arrival hall would have four aerobridges for international passengers and six aerobridges for domestic passengers.
The project cost is an estimated Rs 2,062 crore, including Rs 638 crore for construction of a new domestic terminal and more than Rs 500 crore for modification and extension of the international terminal.
City-side development
An additional Rs 140 crore is the estimated cost of giving a facelift to the existing domestic and international terminals, along with city-side development.
The cost of a new domestic terminal, modification, extension and facelift of existing terminals, and multilevel car park with city-side development has been estimated at more than Rs 1,500 crore.
Chennai airport infrastructure stretched, State informs court
08-Nov-2007
Land acquisition orders for proposed expansion justified
Order freezing building activities to avoid loss”
“Project is of paramount public interest”
CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu Government has informed the Madras High Court that the acquisition proceedings for the proposed Chennai Airport expansion plan have commenced, and that existing facilities at the airport have reached a saturation point.
In a counter-affidavit in response to a writ petition filed by E.V.P. Housing Chennai Private Limited, the Transport Secretary said the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) had been directed to freeze all building activities in the approach area and issue suitable instructions after getting full details from the Airport Authority of India (AAI).
The official further stated that the AAI, in a letter dated August 1, had approved acquisition of 1,069.99 acres on the northern side of the existing airport.
The purpose of the July 9 order of the State Government, on the freezing of building activities, “is to avoid unnecessary financial loss to the Government in paying compensation for the proposed acquisition, since the compensation will have to be paid for the superstructures on the lands proposed to be acquired.”
Reiterating that the Government was within its jurisdiction and competent to issue acquisition orders in the interest of general public, the Secretary said compensation would be paid to the landowners as per law. The order freezing the building construction activity was in no way against the rights guaranteed to the petitioner under the Town and Country Planning Act.
Describing the project as of “paramount public interest,” the counter said there was an imminent need to expand the existing airport necessarily to cater to the increasing passenger and cargo traffic.
“Unless the present airport is expanded, international flights will automatically prefer neighbouring airports, preferring not to land at Chennai. And Chennai might lose its present advantage of being the best destination for investments by various entrepreneurs…,” the counter further said.
Justice A. Kulasekaran, before whom the matter came up for hearing, adjourned the hearing by a week.
Link:http://www.hinduonnet.com/2007/11/08/stories/2007110854080400.htm
Land acquisition orders for proposed expansion justified
Order freezing building activities to avoid loss”
“Project is of paramount public interest”
CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu Government has informed the Madras High Court that the acquisition proceedings for the proposed Chennai Airport expansion plan have commenced, and that existing facilities at the airport have reached a saturation point.
In a counter-affidavit in response to a writ petition filed by E.V.P. Housing Chennai Private Limited, the Transport Secretary said the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) had been directed to freeze all building activities in the approach area and issue suitable instructions after getting full details from the Airport Authority of India (AAI).
The official further stated that the AAI, in a letter dated August 1, had approved acquisition of 1,069.99 acres on the northern side of the existing airport.
The purpose of the July 9 order of the State Government, on the freezing of building activities, “is to avoid unnecessary financial loss to the Government in paying compensation for the proposed acquisition, since the compensation will have to be paid for the superstructures on the lands proposed to be acquired.”
Reiterating that the Government was within its jurisdiction and competent to issue acquisition orders in the interest of general public, the Secretary said compensation would be paid to the landowners as per law. The order freezing the building construction activity was in no way against the rights guaranteed to the petitioner under the Town and Country Planning Act.
Describing the project as of “paramount public interest,” the counter said there was an imminent need to expand the existing airport necessarily to cater to the increasing passenger and cargo traffic.
“Unless the present airport is expanded, international flights will automatically prefer neighbouring airports, preferring not to land at Chennai. And Chennai might lose its present advantage of being the best destination for investments by various entrepreneurs…,” the counter further said.
Justice A. Kulasekaran, before whom the matter came up for hearing, adjourned the hearing by a week.
Link:http://www.hinduonnet.com/2007/11/08/stories/2007110854080400.htm
CM's Response to BJP State President
05-Nov-2007
Land acquistion
Responding to the Bharatiya Janata Party’s State president L. Ganesan’s demand for transparency in land acquisition for the expansion of the Chennai airport, Mr. Karunanidhi said there was no need to have any doubts about the Government’s approach in such matters. He cited the example of procurement of colour televisions for the free colour TV scheme.
http://www.hindu.com/2007/11/05/stories/2007110559951000.htm
Land acquistion
Responding to the Bharatiya Janata Party’s State president L. Ganesan’s demand for transparency in land acquisition for the expansion of the Chennai airport, Mr. Karunanidhi said there was no need to have any doubts about the Government’s approach in such matters. He cited the example of procurement of colour televisions for the free colour TV scheme.
http://www.hindu.com/2007/11/05/stories/2007110559951000.htm
Make land acquisition transparent, says BJP
03-Nov-2007
CHENNAI: The Bharatiya Janata Party has insisted on a more transparent method of acquiring land for the airport expansion project.
In a statement here, the party’s State president L Ganesan stated that though airport expansion was necessary considering the increase in air traffic, the method in which the land was being acquired in Manapakkam had to be more transparent.He said, the residents of Manapakkam felt that there was no necessity of using their residential area for the expansion.
But the government had announced that residential areas would also be used for it.He also stressed the need for the people to know what plan the aviation sector had evolved for the expansion project.
He said that the residents harboured the fear that the private company to whom the task of acquiring the land would be given, might buy it from the people at a low price and later state that the land would not be necessary for expansion and sell it to outsiders at a high rate.
Link:http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?ID=IE920071106004919
CHENNAI: The Bharatiya Janata Party has insisted on a more transparent method of acquiring land for the airport expansion project.
In a statement here, the party’s State president L Ganesan stated that though airport expansion was necessary considering the increase in air traffic, the method in which the land was being acquired in Manapakkam had to be more transparent.He said, the residents of Manapakkam felt that there was no necessity of using their residential area for the expansion.
But the government had announced that residential areas would also be used for it.He also stressed the need for the people to know what plan the aviation sector had evolved for the expansion project.
He said that the residents harboured the fear that the private company to whom the task of acquiring the land would be given, might buy it from the people at a low price and later state that the land would not be necessary for expansion and sell it to outsiders at a high rate.
Link:http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?ID=IE920071106004919
NEW G.O FOR CHENNAI AIRPORT EXPANSION
ABSTRACT
Land acquisition – Kancheepuram District – Sriperumpudur Taluk – Acquisition of 358.76.5 Hectares of dry and wet lands for expansion of Chennai Airport under the Tamil Nadu Acquisition of Land for Industrial purposes Act, 1997 as amended by the Tamil Nadu Acquisition of Land for Industrial purposes (Amendment) Act 2005 (Act 17 of 2005) – Administrative Sanction – Accorded.
Transport (I.2) Department
G.O. Ms. No.108 Dated : 09.10.2007 Read :
1 G.O.Ms.No.91, Transport, dated 14.12.2005. 2 G.O.Ms.No.70, Transport, dated 9.7.2007. 3 From the Member (Planning), Airports Authority of India, New Delhi, Letter No.523/3.8/Chennai/2007, dated 1.8.2007 addressed to the Chief Secretary to Government of Tamil Nadu. 4 From the Airport Director, Airports Authority of India, Chennai letter no.AAM.LM.28/2007/393, dated 17.8.2007. 5 From the Special Commissioner and Commissioner of Land Administration, Chennai letter no.M1/29121/07, dated 14.9.2007. 6 From the Collector of Kancheepuram District Roc. No.50373/2006/ F1, dated 06.10.2007. ****
ORDER :In the All Legislative Party Leader’s Meeting held under the Chairmanship of Hon’ble Chief Minister on 22.5.2007, it was decided to acquire to an extent of 1069.99 acres of lands in the villages of Manapakkam, Kolapakkam,Gerugambakkam and Tharapakkam in Sriperumpudur Taluk in KancheepuramDistrict and to provide the lands to the Airports Authority of India, Chennai free of cost and free from all encumbrances for the expansion of Chennai Airport. The Member (Planning), Airports Authority of India, New Delhi informed the Airports Authority of India’s approval in principle for acquisition of 1069.99 acres of land in the northern side of the existing Chennai airport and requested the Government of Tamil Nadu to acquire the above lands as per the drawing made available and hand over the same to Airports Authority of India free of cost and free from all encumbrances. Accordingly, the Airport Director, Airports Authority of India, Chennai has requested the Govt. of Tamil Nadu to acquire 1069.99 acres of land and hand over the same to Airports Authority of India for the expansion of Chennai Airport.
2. The Collector of Kancheepuram District has sent proposals seeking administrative sanction to acquire 433.19.5 Hectares or 1069.99 acres of lands in Manapakkam, Gerugambakkam, Kolapakkam, Tharapakkam and Kovur villages and to hand over the same to the Airports Authority of India, Chennai, free of cost and free from all encumbrances for the expansion of Chennai Airport and for providing alternative site to the project affected persons (i.e. house owners).
3. The Special Commissioner and Commissioner of Land Administration has also recommended the above proposal and requested the Government to accord administrative sanction for acquisition of lands as detailed below:- Village Name Wet (Hects) Dry (Hects) Poramboke(Hects) Defence (Hects) Total (Hects) 81 Tharapakkam29.73.01.71.51.11.5--- 32.56.080 Gerugambakkam 126.90.08.05.59.62.0--- 144.57.579 Kolapakkam92.64.522.88.530.16.0--- 145.69.078 Manapakkam47.95.56.80.012.26.520.83.5 87.85.585 Kovur 22.08.0---0.43.5--- 22.51.5319.31.039.45.553.59.520.83.5 433.19.5Hectsor1069.99Acres
4. The Government after careful consideration accept the proposal of the Special Commissioner and Commissioner of Land Administration, Chennai and accord administrative sanction to acquire 319.31.0 Hects of wet lands, 39.45.5. Hectares of dry lands totally to an extent of 358.76.5 hectares of lands comprised in S.No.58, etc. in Manapakkam, Gerugambakkam, Kolapakkam, Tharapakkam and Kovur Villages in Sriperumpudur Taluk, Kancheepuram District under the provisions of Tamil Nadu Acquisition of Land for Industrial Purposes Act, 1997 (Tamil Nadu Act 10 / 1999) as amended by the Tamil Nadu Acquisition of Land for Industrial Purposes (Amendment) 2005 (Act 17 of 2005) to handover the lands to Airports Authority of India, Chennai free from all encumbrances and for providing alternative site to the project affected persons(i.e., House Owners). The Government also accord administrative sanction for alienation of 53.59.5 Hects of Government Poromboke Lands and transfer of 20.83.5 Hects of Defence Lands.
5. The Government also direct the Collector of Kancheepuram District to send necessary proposals for the publication of Notification under Section 3 (1) of the Tamil Nadu Acquisition of Land for Industrial Purposes Act, 1997 (Tamil Nadu Act 10 of 1999).
6. The Collector of Kancheepuram District is requested to send necessary separate proposals for alienation of Government Promboke Lands and also transfer of Defence Lands involved in this acquisition to Revenue Department through the Special Commissioner and Commissioner of Land Administration, Chennai.
/By order of the Governor/ Debendranath Sarangi Secretary to Government
To The District Collector, Kancheepuram (along with sketch and land plan schedule). The Special Commissioner and Commissioner of Land Administration, Chennai-5. The Executive Director (Land Management), Airports Authority of India, New Delhi. The Regional Executive Director, Airports Authority of India, Chennai. The Director, Airports Authority of India, Delhi and Chennai. Copy to: The Revenue Department, Chennai-9. The Industries Department, Chennai-9. The Housing and Urban Development Department, Chennai-9. The Law Department, Chennai-9. The Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority, Chennai-8. SF/SCs. / Forwarded / By Order / SECTION OFFICER
http://www.tn.gov.in/gorders/transport/trans_e_108_2007.pdf
Land acquisition – Kancheepuram District – Sriperumpudur Taluk – Acquisition of 358.76.5 Hectares of dry and wet lands for expansion of Chennai Airport under the Tamil Nadu Acquisition of Land for Industrial purposes Act, 1997 as amended by the Tamil Nadu Acquisition of Land for Industrial purposes (Amendment) Act 2005 (Act 17 of 2005) – Administrative Sanction – Accorded.
Transport (I.2) Department
G.O. Ms. No.108 Dated : 09.10.2007 Read :
1 G.O.Ms.No.91, Transport, dated 14.12.2005. 2 G.O.Ms.No.70, Transport, dated 9.7.2007. 3 From the Member (Planning), Airports Authority of India, New Delhi, Letter No.523/3.8/Chennai/2007, dated 1.8.2007 addressed to the Chief Secretary to Government of Tamil Nadu. 4 From the Airport Director, Airports Authority of India, Chennai letter no.AAM.LM.28/2007/393, dated 17.8.2007. 5 From the Special Commissioner and Commissioner of Land Administration, Chennai letter no.M1/29121/07, dated 14.9.2007. 6 From the Collector of Kancheepuram District Roc. No.50373/2006/ F1, dated 06.10.2007. ****
ORDER :In the All Legislative Party Leader’s Meeting held under the Chairmanship of Hon’ble Chief Minister on 22.5.2007, it was decided to acquire to an extent of 1069.99 acres of lands in the villages of Manapakkam, Kolapakkam,Gerugambakkam and Tharapakkam in Sriperumpudur Taluk in KancheepuramDistrict and to provide the lands to the Airports Authority of India, Chennai free of cost and free from all encumbrances for the expansion of Chennai Airport. The Member (Planning), Airports Authority of India, New Delhi informed the Airports Authority of India’s approval in principle for acquisition of 1069.99 acres of land in the northern side of the existing Chennai airport and requested the Government of Tamil Nadu to acquire the above lands as per the drawing made available and hand over the same to Airports Authority of India free of cost and free from all encumbrances. Accordingly, the Airport Director, Airports Authority of India, Chennai has requested the Govt. of Tamil Nadu to acquire 1069.99 acres of land and hand over the same to Airports Authority of India for the expansion of Chennai Airport.
2. The Collector of Kancheepuram District has sent proposals seeking administrative sanction to acquire 433.19.5 Hectares or 1069.99 acres of lands in Manapakkam, Gerugambakkam, Kolapakkam, Tharapakkam and Kovur villages and to hand over the same to the Airports Authority of India, Chennai, free of cost and free from all encumbrances for the expansion of Chennai Airport and for providing alternative site to the project affected persons (i.e. house owners).
3. The Special Commissioner and Commissioner of Land Administration has also recommended the above proposal and requested the Government to accord administrative sanction for acquisition of lands as detailed below:- Village Name Wet (Hects) Dry (Hects) Poramboke(Hects) Defence (Hects) Total (Hects) 81 Tharapakkam29.73.01.71.51.11.5--- 32.56.080 Gerugambakkam 126.90.08.05.59.62.0--- 144.57.579 Kolapakkam92.64.522.88.530.16.0--- 145.69.078 Manapakkam47.95.56.80.012.26.520.83.5 87.85.585 Kovur 22.08.0---0.43.5--- 22.51.5319.31.039.45.553.59.520.83.5 433.19.5Hectsor1069.99Acres
4. The Government after careful consideration accept the proposal of the Special Commissioner and Commissioner of Land Administration, Chennai and accord administrative sanction to acquire 319.31.0 Hects of wet lands, 39.45.5. Hectares of dry lands totally to an extent of 358.76.5 hectares of lands comprised in S.No.58, etc. in Manapakkam, Gerugambakkam, Kolapakkam, Tharapakkam and Kovur Villages in Sriperumpudur Taluk, Kancheepuram District under the provisions of Tamil Nadu Acquisition of Land for Industrial Purposes Act, 1997 (Tamil Nadu Act 10 / 1999) as amended by the Tamil Nadu Acquisition of Land for Industrial Purposes (Amendment) 2005 (Act 17 of 2005) to handover the lands to Airports Authority of India, Chennai free from all encumbrances and for providing alternative site to the project affected persons(i.e., House Owners). The Government also accord administrative sanction for alienation of 53.59.5 Hects of Government Poromboke Lands and transfer of 20.83.5 Hects of Defence Lands.
5. The Government also direct the Collector of Kancheepuram District to send necessary proposals for the publication of Notification under Section 3 (1) of the Tamil Nadu Acquisition of Land for Industrial Purposes Act, 1997 (Tamil Nadu Act 10 of 1999).
6. The Collector of Kancheepuram District is requested to send necessary separate proposals for alienation of Government Promboke Lands and also transfer of Defence Lands involved in this acquisition to Revenue Department through the Special Commissioner and Commissioner of Land Administration, Chennai.
/By order of the Governor/ Debendranath Sarangi Secretary to Government
To The District Collector, Kancheepuram (along with sketch and land plan schedule). The Special Commissioner and Commissioner of Land Administration, Chennai-5. The Executive Director (Land Management), Airports Authority of India, New Delhi. The Regional Executive Director, Airports Authority of India, Chennai. The Director, Airports Authority of India, Delhi and Chennai. Copy to: The Revenue Department, Chennai-9. The Industries Department, Chennai-9. The Housing and Urban Development Department, Chennai-9. The Law Department, Chennai-9. The Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority, Chennai-8. SF/SCs. / Forwarded / By Order / SECTION OFFICER
http://www.tn.gov.in/gorders/transport/trans_e_108_2007.pdf
Plea in court to stop land acquisition for city airport
19-Sep-2007
Chennai, Sept. 18: A petition has been filed in the Madras high court challenging the government order on the proposed expansion of the Chennai airport and also the establishment of a Greenfield airport on the fringes of the city, by acquiring land in Kancheepuram district. Mr E.V. Perumalsamy Reddy, director of EVP Housing, Chennai, has in his petition urged the court to quash the government order dated July 9, 2007 claiming that the acquisition of land in Kancheepuram would not only cause huge losses to his firm which had bought land in the area but also to several middle class families which had also purchased plots at Tharapakkam, Kolapakkam and Gerugambakkam in suburban Chennai.
He submitted that the firm had bought the land at an enormous cost for developing layouts and providing housing to people. Being affordable, the plots came as a boon to the middle-income group, which could not afford to buy houses within the city. As the land was in disuse and was unfit for constructing houses, the firm had to develop it before handing it over to the buyers.
The entire area was prone to floods when the Adyar river was in spate. And so the firm had spent huge sums of money on developing the land and making it fit for building houses. He said the firm had obtained permission for developing the layout which it had called EVP Town and the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority had approved the project.
He was shocked when the government passed the order which said the existing airport at Meenambakkam would be expanded by acquiring land in these parts, and he had sought clarification from the CMDA as to whether his land was included.
The CMDA had in its letter replied that his property did not form part of the proposed acquisition. So, the firm had proceeded with its developmental activities. But the government later cancelled the G.O and issued a fresh order in which the CMDA was directed to acquire land in the area where his project was taking shape.
Several landowners who had obtained loans from banks and purchased the plots in his housing project would suffer as result, he contended and urged the court to peruse government records and quash the G.O.
He pointed out that according to the order the all-legislative party leaders’ meeting held under the chairmanship of the chief minister on May 22, 2007, had proposed to acquire 1069.99 acres of land in the villages of Manapakkam, Kolapakkam, Gerugambakkam and Tharapakkam in Sriperumbudur taluk of Kancheepuram district for expanding the Chennai airport. Also, 4820.66 acres of lands would be acquired for setting up a Greenfield airport.
The high court posted the case to September 27 for hearing.
http://www.deccan.com/chennaichronicle/home/homedetails.asp#Plea%20in%20court%20to%20stop%20land%20acquisition%20for%20city%20airport
Chennai, Sept. 18: A petition has been filed in the Madras high court challenging the government order on the proposed expansion of the Chennai airport and also the establishment of a Greenfield airport on the fringes of the city, by acquiring land in Kancheepuram district. Mr E.V. Perumalsamy Reddy, director of EVP Housing, Chennai, has in his petition urged the court to quash the government order dated July 9, 2007 claiming that the acquisition of land in Kancheepuram would not only cause huge losses to his firm which had bought land in the area but also to several middle class families which had also purchased plots at Tharapakkam, Kolapakkam and Gerugambakkam in suburban Chennai.
He submitted that the firm had bought the land at an enormous cost for developing layouts and providing housing to people. Being affordable, the plots came as a boon to the middle-income group, which could not afford to buy houses within the city. As the land was in disuse and was unfit for constructing houses, the firm had to develop it before handing it over to the buyers.
The entire area was prone to floods when the Adyar river was in spate. And so the firm had spent huge sums of money on developing the land and making it fit for building houses. He said the firm had obtained permission for developing the layout which it had called EVP Town and the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority had approved the project.
He was shocked when the government passed the order which said the existing airport at Meenambakkam would be expanded by acquiring land in these parts, and he had sought clarification from the CMDA as to whether his land was included.
The CMDA had in its letter replied that his property did not form part of the proposed acquisition. So, the firm had proceeded with its developmental activities. But the government later cancelled the G.O and issued a fresh order in which the CMDA was directed to acquire land in the area where his project was taking shape.
Several landowners who had obtained loans from banks and purchased the plots in his housing project would suffer as result, he contended and urged the court to peruse government records and quash the G.O.
He pointed out that according to the order the all-legislative party leaders’ meeting held under the chairmanship of the chief minister on May 22, 2007, had proposed to acquire 1069.99 acres of land in the villages of Manapakkam, Kolapakkam, Gerugambakkam and Tharapakkam in Sriperumbudur taluk of Kancheepuram district for expanding the Chennai airport. Also, 4820.66 acres of lands would be acquired for setting up a Greenfield airport.
The high court posted the case to September 27 for hearing.
http://www.deccan.com/chennaichronicle/home/homedetails.asp#Plea%20in%20court%20to%20stop%20land%20acquisition%20for%20city%20airport
Finally, Chennai is granted its decade-old wish: second airport
19-Sep-2007
Rs1,700-2,000 cr plan to upgrade the existing airport has also been approved; bids maybe invited by January
In a change in policy, the Union government has approved a 4,000-acre site for Chennai’s second airport at Sriperumbudur, an hour’s drive from the city centre.
The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) party, which runs the Tamil Nadu government and is a key ally in the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government at the Centre, had proposedthe site.
The government has also approved a plan to upgrade the current Chennai airport, at Meenambakkam, at an estimated cost of betweenRs1,700 crore and Rs2,000 crore. Bids for modernizing the airport, run by the Airports Authority of India (AAI), are likely to be invited by January, and awarded on a turnkey basis rather than splitting the contract between multiple engineering firms.
The civil aviation ministry had so far believed growing air traffic at Chennai could be accommodated by upgrading the existing airport. Chennai’s Anna International Airport, spread over 1,152 acres, is India’s third largest by air traffic and traffic is growing at 17.3% annually. At that rate and amid a paucity of land to expand operations, the government now believes Chennai will need a second airport. The airport, which handled 8.7 million passengers in 2006-07, is likely to reach its saturation capacity of nine million this year.
“We have asked them (the state government) to freeze the land so that whenever it has to be started (the process for second airport), we don’t face a similar problem,” said civil aviation secretary Ashok Chawla, referring to illegal encroachments that have hampered expansion at airports elsewhere in the country.
The latest Sriperumbudur site is the fifth that the state government has zeroed in on after the idea for a second airport in Chennai was floated a decade ago. Feasibility studies of the site still need to beundertaken.
The state government has been asked to examine a plan to connect the site, which falls on the Chennai-Bangalore highway to Bangalore, to the city through an expressway that can handle high-speed road traffic. The highway is already clogged as Sriperumbudur is home to many automotive and other industries.
“At the end of the day, (for) a city of this size, two airports should make sense,” says Nand Kumar, an analyst with Fitch Ratings. But, given the huge costs involved, it would work best if work started on the existing airport “leaving (the new one) for a later date”. The state government has said the new airport will be built by the AAI.
Expanding the Meenambakkam airport could, however, face trouble since it will require over 1,000-acre land to build a second parallel runway. Much of this required land, pockets of which are inhabited by local residents, has still not been handed over by the state government, delaying the airport modernization.
The state government has said it will be able to acquire about 300 acres, which is located ahead of a cross-runway at the airport and can be used to extend it further. A cross-runway is shorter than the main runway and bisects it at one end, and can be used for takeoffs or landing in tandem with the main runway.
But an expert said simultaneous operations of both the main runway and the cross-runway (one for landing and the other for takeoff) may not work well.
“Normally when the main runway has been blocked due to an accident or something, then you use the cross-runway,” said Gurcharan Bhatura, the AAI’s former executive director (operations), who has studied the Chennai airport.
The model, he said, was not working well at the Mumbai airport because “there is so much pressure (on Air Traffic Controllers) that even in a minor mismatch, there (is) a sound collision chance,” he said.
http://www.livemint.com/2007/09/19001225/Finally-Chennai-is-granted-it.html
Rs1,700-2,000 cr plan to upgrade the existing airport has also been approved; bids maybe invited by January
In a change in policy, the Union government has approved a 4,000-acre site for Chennai’s second airport at Sriperumbudur, an hour’s drive from the city centre.
The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) party, which runs the Tamil Nadu government and is a key ally in the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government at the Centre, had proposedthe site.
The government has also approved a plan to upgrade the current Chennai airport, at Meenambakkam, at an estimated cost of betweenRs1,700 crore and Rs2,000 crore. Bids for modernizing the airport, run by the Airports Authority of India (AAI), are likely to be invited by January, and awarded on a turnkey basis rather than splitting the contract between multiple engineering firms.
The civil aviation ministry had so far believed growing air traffic at Chennai could be accommodated by upgrading the existing airport. Chennai’s Anna International Airport, spread over 1,152 acres, is India’s third largest by air traffic and traffic is growing at 17.3% annually. At that rate and amid a paucity of land to expand operations, the government now believes Chennai will need a second airport. The airport, which handled 8.7 million passengers in 2006-07, is likely to reach its saturation capacity of nine million this year.
“We have asked them (the state government) to freeze the land so that whenever it has to be started (the process for second airport), we don’t face a similar problem,” said civil aviation secretary Ashok Chawla, referring to illegal encroachments that have hampered expansion at airports elsewhere in the country.
The latest Sriperumbudur site is the fifth that the state government has zeroed in on after the idea for a second airport in Chennai was floated a decade ago. Feasibility studies of the site still need to beundertaken.
The state government has been asked to examine a plan to connect the site, which falls on the Chennai-Bangalore highway to Bangalore, to the city through an expressway that can handle high-speed road traffic. The highway is already clogged as Sriperumbudur is home to many automotive and other industries.
“At the end of the day, (for) a city of this size, two airports should make sense,” says Nand Kumar, an analyst with Fitch Ratings. But, given the huge costs involved, it would work best if work started on the existing airport “leaving (the new one) for a later date”. The state government has said the new airport will be built by the AAI.
Expanding the Meenambakkam airport could, however, face trouble since it will require over 1,000-acre land to build a second parallel runway. Much of this required land, pockets of which are inhabited by local residents, has still not been handed over by the state government, delaying the airport modernization.
The state government has said it will be able to acquire about 300 acres, which is located ahead of a cross-runway at the airport and can be used to extend it further. A cross-runway is shorter than the main runway and bisects it at one end, and can be used for takeoffs or landing in tandem with the main runway.
But an expert said simultaneous operations of both the main runway and the cross-runway (one for landing and the other for takeoff) may not work well.
“Normally when the main runway has been blocked due to an accident or something, then you use the cross-runway,” said Gurcharan Bhatura, the AAI’s former executive director (operations), who has studied the Chennai airport.
The model, he said, was not working well at the Mumbai airport because “there is so much pressure (on Air Traffic Controllers) that even in a minor mismatch, there (is) a sound collision chance,” he said.
http://www.livemint.com/2007/09/19001225/Finally-Chennai-is-granted-it.html
Airport expansion: Work to start in January 2008
02-Sep-2007
CHENNAI: The Rs 2700-crore expansion project of the Chennai airport will begin with a groundbreaking ceremony in January, 2008.A parallel runway, to be connected to the secondary runway by means of a taxi way, will be constructed along with a new integrated terminal building, to make the existing airport capable of handling passenger and air traffic till 2016, said K N Shrivastava, joint secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation.
“Once the construction work begins, the project can be completed in 24 months. The new integrated terminal building with departure on the first floor and arrival on the ground floor will come up on the right side of the existing airport. Rs 1700 crore has been earmarked for the construction of the runway while Rs 1000 crore for the terminal building,’’ said Shrivastava.
He was part of a team of high-level officials which, on Friday, visited the identified site for the expansion of the existing airport at Sriperumbudur, where the Greenfield airport is proposed to be constructed.
The members of the team included Ashok Chawla, secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation, K Ramalingam, chairman, Airports Authority of India (AAI), Dinesh Kumar, director, Chennai Airport and Kancheepuram District Collector Pradeep Yadav.
“Everything has been finalized on the part of the AAI, which also handed over the land plan schedule to the district administration for the land acquisition almost a month ago,’’ he noted.
“As a rule there will not be any deviation from the land plan, submitted by the AAI. Architects have been appointed and a technical team has studied the project,’’ Shrivastava added.
He also said that the question of technical non-feasibility did not arise, even though the Adyar river flowed across the land identified for the expansion of the existing airport.
“There are several precedents of runways being built on bridges. Mumbai and London are examples,’’ he pointed out.
Greenfield airportAirport at Sriperumbudur will come up opposite the Saint Gobain factory, said K Ramalingam, chairman, AAI. Although the land had been identified, the Ministry of Civil Aviation and the AAI had requested the simultaneous development of road and rail connectivity to the site, which had been included in the project proposal, he added.
K N Shrivastava, joint secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation, said that the Greenfield airport would be developed in time to meet the growth in passenger and air traffic that is expected to exceed the capacity of the existing airport in the future.
http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?ID=IE920070903042807
CHENNAI: The Rs 2700-crore expansion project of the Chennai airport will begin with a groundbreaking ceremony in January, 2008.A parallel runway, to be connected to the secondary runway by means of a taxi way, will be constructed along with a new integrated terminal building, to make the existing airport capable of handling passenger and air traffic till 2016, said K N Shrivastava, joint secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation.
“Once the construction work begins, the project can be completed in 24 months. The new integrated terminal building with departure on the first floor and arrival on the ground floor will come up on the right side of the existing airport. Rs 1700 crore has been earmarked for the construction of the runway while Rs 1000 crore for the terminal building,’’ said Shrivastava.
He was part of a team of high-level officials which, on Friday, visited the identified site for the expansion of the existing airport at Sriperumbudur, where the Greenfield airport is proposed to be constructed.
The members of the team included Ashok Chawla, secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation, K Ramalingam, chairman, Airports Authority of India (AAI), Dinesh Kumar, director, Chennai Airport and Kancheepuram District Collector Pradeep Yadav.
“Everything has been finalized on the part of the AAI, which also handed over the land plan schedule to the district administration for the land acquisition almost a month ago,’’ he noted.
“As a rule there will not be any deviation from the land plan, submitted by the AAI. Architects have been appointed and a technical team has studied the project,’’ Shrivastava added.
He also said that the question of technical non-feasibility did not arise, even though the Adyar river flowed across the land identified for the expansion of the existing airport.
“There are several precedents of runways being built on bridges. Mumbai and London are examples,’’ he pointed out.
Greenfield airportAirport at Sriperumbudur will come up opposite the Saint Gobain factory, said K Ramalingam, chairman, AAI. Although the land had been identified, the Ministry of Civil Aviation and the AAI had requested the simultaneous development of road and rail connectivity to the site, which had been included in the project proposal, he added.
K N Shrivastava, joint secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation, said that the Greenfield airport would be developed in time to meet the growth in passenger and air traffic that is expected to exceed the capacity of the existing airport in the future.
http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?ID=IE920070903042807
Work on second runway soon
02-Sep-2007
CHENNAI: The construction of a second runway at the Chennai airport will begin in January next year, K.N. Shrivastava, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation, said on Friday.
Mr. Shrivastava inspected the site for the runway.
“The second runway work will be completed within 24 months from the day of beginning,” he said.
About a month ago Airports Authority of India officials sent the Land Plan Schedule to the Kacheepuram district administration for starting the land acquisition process, Mr. Shrivastava said.
A sum of Rs.2,700 crore would be allocated for the expansion work. Of this, Rs.1,000 crore had been earmarked for the runway and the remaining for constructing the terminal building. The new terminal building would come up on the right side of the existing airport, he said.
A taxiway would be created to connect the second runway and the parallel runway.
Inspection at Sriperumbudur
A team of officials led by Ashok Chawla, Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation, K.N. Shrivastava, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation, Dr. K. Ramalingam, Chairman, Airports Authority of India, Dr. K. Ramalingam, Southern Regional Executive Director, Airports Authority of India, Dinesh Kumar, Chennai Airport Director and Prateep Yadav, Collector, Kancheepuram district inspected the area identified for the ‘Green Field Airport’ near the SIPCOT Industrial Estate at Sriperumbudur on Friday.
http://www.hindu.com/2007/09/02/stories/2007090260150600.htm
CHENNAI: The construction of a second runway at the Chennai airport will begin in January next year, K.N. Shrivastava, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation, said on Friday.
Mr. Shrivastava inspected the site for the runway.
“The second runway work will be completed within 24 months from the day of beginning,” he said.
About a month ago Airports Authority of India officials sent the Land Plan Schedule to the Kacheepuram district administration for starting the land acquisition process, Mr. Shrivastava said.
A sum of Rs.2,700 crore would be allocated for the expansion work. Of this, Rs.1,000 crore had been earmarked for the runway and the remaining for constructing the terminal building. The new terminal building would come up on the right side of the existing airport, he said.
A taxiway would be created to connect the second runway and the parallel runway.
Inspection at Sriperumbudur
A team of officials led by Ashok Chawla, Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation, K.N. Shrivastava, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation, Dr. K. Ramalingam, Chairman, Airports Authority of India, Dr. K. Ramalingam, Southern Regional Executive Director, Airports Authority of India, Dinesh Kumar, Chennai Airport Director and Prateep Yadav, Collector, Kancheepuram district inspected the area identified for the ‘Green Field Airport’ near the SIPCOT Industrial Estate at Sriperumbudur on Friday.
http://www.hindu.com/2007/09/02/stories/2007090260150600.htm
Secondary runway at Chennai airport to be extended
02-Sep-2007
Chennai, Sept. 2 The expansion of the Chennai airport may well take up to June 2010 to complete, but an interim measure is being planned to enhance the capacity of the airport in the meantime.
The length of the existing secondary runway (the cross runway) is to be extended by about 300 metres, Mr K.N. Srivastava, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation, told Business Line here. (Speaking to Business Line later, Mr Dinesh Kumar, Director, Chennai Airport, said that the extension could be longer — more than 500 metres.)
Currently, Chennai can handle 30 flights an hour. Once the cross runway is extended, the airport can handle 45 flights an hour. However, after the entire expansion is over — that is, after the parallel runway comes up on the other side of the Adyar river — the secondary runway will become a taxi way, he said.
Meanwhile, the authorities were planning to spend Rs 200 crore on upgradation of the cargo handling facilities.
Mr Dinesh Kumar said that at present the airport could handle 2 lakh tonnes of cargo. The demand for cargo movement is growing by about 15 per cent a year.
The upgradation project, which will create more covered space, will meet the growing needs, he said.
http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2007/09/03/stories/2007090351501500.htm
Chennai, Sept. 2 The expansion of the Chennai airport may well take up to June 2010 to complete, but an interim measure is being planned to enhance the capacity of the airport in the meantime.
The length of the existing secondary runway (the cross runway) is to be extended by about 300 metres, Mr K.N. Srivastava, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation, told Business Line here. (Speaking to Business Line later, Mr Dinesh Kumar, Director, Chennai Airport, said that the extension could be longer — more than 500 metres.)
Currently, Chennai can handle 30 flights an hour. Once the cross runway is extended, the airport can handle 45 flights an hour. However, after the entire expansion is over — that is, after the parallel runway comes up on the other side of the Adyar river — the secondary runway will become a taxi way, he said.
Meanwhile, the authorities were planning to spend Rs 200 crore on upgradation of the cargo handling facilities.
Mr Dinesh Kumar said that at present the airport could handle 2 lakh tonnes of cargo. The demand for cargo movement is growing by about 15 per cent a year.
The upgradation project, which will create more covered space, will meet the growing needs, he said.
http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2007/09/03/stories/2007090351501500.htm
Manapakkam investors left in the lurch
21-Aug-2007
KANCHEEPURAM: A group of investors from Manapakkam, on the outskirts of Chennai, walked away from the District Collectorate with a sense of insecurity writ large on their faces here on Monday.
Talking to reporters, they said that several of them had invested their retirement benefits/ hard earned money in the housing project promoted by a Kilpauk-based real estate promoter during 2003-04. “Being cautious by nature, we took utmost care in verifying the details presented to us by the promoter and also the veracity of a report that the National Airports Authority of India was looking for space for Chennai Airport Expansion project,” they said.
The investors, who had invested Rs.15 to Rs.30 lakh depending on their plot size and design of the houses, heaved a sigh of relief following media reports that NAAI had rejected the land acquisition proposal citing ‘poor’ and ‘weak’ soil conditions in Manapakkam, Gerugembakkam, Tharapakkam and Kolapakkam areas. Subsequently, the very same promoter launched Phase-II township project in 2006 in same area.
When the new investors — around 100 families — wanted to know whether the Phase-II area would come under the proposed airport expansion project before making up their mind to invest their money, the promoter allayed their fears by producing a letter issued by the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority stating that the proposed site for second phase of housing project was “not affected as per the latest list.”
Following this, each of them booked individual villas, each costing around Rs.50 to Rs.65 lakh, depending on the plot size and house plan. But the entire second phase area has now been notified for acquisition for airport expansion project, they lamented.
KANCHEEPURAM: A group of investors from Manapakkam, on the outskirts of Chennai, walked away from the District Collectorate with a sense of insecurity writ large on their faces here on Monday.
Talking to reporters, they said that several of them had invested their retirement benefits/ hard earned money in the housing project promoted by a Kilpauk-based real estate promoter during 2003-04. “Being cautious by nature, we took utmost care in verifying the details presented to us by the promoter and also the veracity of a report that the National Airports Authority of India was looking for space for Chennai Airport Expansion project,” they said.
The investors, who had invested Rs.15 to Rs.30 lakh depending on their plot size and design of the houses, heaved a sigh of relief following media reports that NAAI had rejected the land acquisition proposal citing ‘poor’ and ‘weak’ soil conditions in Manapakkam, Gerugembakkam, Tharapakkam and Kolapakkam areas. Subsequently, the very same promoter launched Phase-II township project in 2006 in same area.
When the new investors — around 100 families — wanted to know whether the Phase-II area would come under the proposed airport expansion project before making up their mind to invest their money, the promoter allayed their fears by producing a letter issued by the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority stating that the proposed site for second phase of housing project was “not affected as per the latest list.”
Following this, each of them booked individual villas, each costing around Rs.50 to Rs.65 lakh, depending on the plot size and house plan. But the entire second phase area has now been notified for acquisition for airport expansion project, they lamented.
AAI begins work on Kolkata, Chennai airport upgrade
10-Aug-2007
NEW DELHI: The Airports Authority of India (AAI) on Friday said it has started work on modernisation of Kolkata and Chennai airports and will construct new terminals, additional runways and taxiways at a total estimated cost of Rs 4,000 crore.
"We have drawn up ambitious plans to modernise these two airports. Designs of new terminal buildings and expansion of existing ones have already been approved for both the airports," AAI Chairman K Ramalingam said at a seminar on air route development here.
He said the estimated cost of modernising the two airports would be Rs 2,000 crore each and the target date is 2010. The plans also include the construction of new runways, parking spaces, taxiways and new airspace management and air traffic control systems.
The process of city-side development of these airports and connectivity was also being discussed, Ramalingam said. He also dwelt on the modernisation of 35 non-metro airports that were being developed simultaneously and the AAI was making efforts to meet the specific target set up for each project.
Special surveys were being conducted to check the standards of services being provided at metro airports, which would later be extended to the non-metro ones. Referring to the congestion in airspace over major airports like those in Delhi and Mumbai, Ramalingam said the development of new routes, besides enhancement of the technological capabilities of airspace management and ATC, was being looked into.
The seminar, organised by AAI and UK-based Route Development Group, would go into a gamut of issues relating to expansion of the air route network in India as well as the region.
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/AAI_starts_work_on_modernisation/articleshow/2271670.cms
NEW DELHI: The Airports Authority of India (AAI) on Friday said it has started work on modernisation of Kolkata and Chennai airports and will construct new terminals, additional runways and taxiways at a total estimated cost of Rs 4,000 crore.
"We have drawn up ambitious plans to modernise these two airports. Designs of new terminal buildings and expansion of existing ones have already been approved for both the airports," AAI Chairman K Ramalingam said at a seminar on air route development here.
He said the estimated cost of modernising the two airports would be Rs 2,000 crore each and the target date is 2010. The plans also include the construction of new runways, parking spaces, taxiways and new airspace management and air traffic control systems.
The process of city-side development of these airports and connectivity was also being discussed, Ramalingam said. He also dwelt on the modernisation of 35 non-metro airports that were being developed simultaneously and the AAI was making efforts to meet the specific target set up for each project.
Special surveys were being conducted to check the standards of services being provided at metro airports, which would later be extended to the non-metro ones. Referring to the congestion in airspace over major airports like those in Delhi and Mumbai, Ramalingam said the development of new routes, besides enhancement of the technological capabilities of airspace management and ATC, was being looked into.
The seminar, organised by AAI and UK-based Route Development Group, would go into a gamut of issues relating to expansion of the air route network in India as well as the region.
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/AAI_starts_work_on_modernisation/articleshow/2271670.cms
Airports Authority of India to invest in the upgrade of Chennai and Kolkata airports
Civil Aviation Ministry announced the Airports Authority of India (AAI) plans to invest USD496 million in the upgrade of Chennai and Kolkata airports.
The total cost of modernising airports in both Chennai and Kolkata is estimated at over USD868 million. According to the Hindu Business Times, Ashok Chawla, Secretary stated, “AAI plans to raise about USD496 million mainly in 2008-09 and 2009-10 as a major portion of the work would be undertaken at that time.
AAI will decide on what is the cheapest manner of raising the money, whether domestically or through external commercial borrowing route”.The Ministry is additionally considering a request from the State governments to share costs for acquiring the required land for the airport expansions.
Currently State governments accept the total cost of acquiring land, which is then provided to AAI for airport expansion.
http://indiaaviation.aero/news/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=4095&Itemid=59
The total cost of modernising airports in both Chennai and Kolkata is estimated at over USD868 million. According to the Hindu Business Times, Ashok Chawla, Secretary stated, “AAI plans to raise about USD496 million mainly in 2008-09 and 2009-10 as a major portion of the work would be undertaken at that time.
AAI will decide on what is the cheapest manner of raising the money, whether domestically or through external commercial borrowing route”.The Ministry is additionally considering a request from the State governments to share costs for acquiring the required land for the airport expansions.
Currently State governments accept the total cost of acquiring land, which is then provided to AAI for airport expansion.
http://indiaaviation.aero/news/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=4095&Itemid=59
ECB for upgrading Chennai, Kolkata airports
NEW DELHI: To fund the modernisation of Kolkata and Chennai airports, the airport authority of India (AAI) would borrow Rs 2,000 crore.
Debt would be mopped up from the domestic market or channeled through external commercial borrowing (ECB).
Modernisation of the two airports is estimated to cost Rs 5,700 crore. “We are open to both the routes for generating money. Wherever we would find better rate of interest we would go for that,” civil aviation secretary Ashok Chawla said on the sidelines of a conference of chief secretaries on public-private partnership (PPP).
Earlier the government had planned to develop both the airports on public-private partnership on the lines of Delhi and Mumbai. However, the government has decided that upgradation of both airports would be done by AAI.
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/Economy/ECB_for_upgrading_Chennai_Kolkata_airports/articleshow/2224278.cms
Debt would be mopped up from the domestic market or channeled through external commercial borrowing (ECB).
Modernisation of the two airports is estimated to cost Rs 5,700 crore. “We are open to both the routes for generating money. Wherever we would find better rate of interest we would go for that,” civil aviation secretary Ashok Chawla said on the sidelines of a conference of chief secretaries on public-private partnership (PPP).
Earlier the government had planned to develop both the airports on public-private partnership on the lines of Delhi and Mumbai. However, the government has decided that upgradation of both airports would be done by AAI.
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/Economy/ECB_for_upgrading_Chennai_Kolkata_airports/articleshow/2224278.cms
AAI to modernise Chennai airport
Clearing the proposal to let Airports Authority of India (AAI) modernise and upgrade the existing Chennai airport, the Prime Minister's Committee on Infrastructure (CoI) also accorded an "in principle" approval to the setting up of a greenfield airport at Sriperumbudur.
With AAI likely to construct the new greenfield airport, the Tamil Nadu government's wish to get both the projects executed through AAI has been fulfilled.
"The first phase of development at the existing Chennai airport would be over by 2010 and will cost around Rs 2,350 crore. The additional land required for modernisation would be provided by the Tamil Nadu government," said civil aviation minister Praful Patel.
For the greenfield airport, Patel said 4,821 acres of land had already been identified by the state government and the AAI would now conduct a techno-feasibility study for it.
While the construction of runway, taxiway and apron would cost around Rs 1,100 crore, the cost of constructing the terminal building, cargo building, car park and face uplift would be around Rs 1,250 crore.
In 2006-07, the existing airport handled 97,680 aircraft movement and its capacity to handle aircraft movement is likely to saturate by 2014-15. The airport's international terminal handled 2.8 million passengers against a capacity of 3 million per year in 2006-07. Similarly, it handled 5.9 million passengers against an annual capacity of 6 million passengers in 2006-07. Both these terminals are likely to be saturated by 2007-08.
Spread over an area of 1,152 acres, the existing Chennai airport has two runways (3,658 metres and 2,032 metres) and handles 25 aircraft movements per hour. While the existing domestic terminal handles 4.73 million passengers per annum, constructing an additional domestic terminal would add a capacity of five million passengers per annum.
Works amounting to Rs 221.89 crore, relating to terminal buildings, parking bays, cargo building and operations block, are currently underway at the existing airport. Once developed, these facilities would cater to a traffic demand up to the year 2010. AAI plans to construct a new domestic terminal, expand the international one, construct Phase III of the integrated cargo building and new parking bays at a cost of Rs 705 crore.
http://www.expresstravelworld.com/200707/aviationworld21.shtml
With AAI likely to construct the new greenfield airport, the Tamil Nadu government's wish to get both the projects executed through AAI has been fulfilled.
"The first phase of development at the existing Chennai airport would be over by 2010 and will cost around Rs 2,350 crore. The additional land required for modernisation would be provided by the Tamil Nadu government," said civil aviation minister Praful Patel.
For the greenfield airport, Patel said 4,821 acres of land had already been identified by the state government and the AAI would now conduct a techno-feasibility study for it.
While the construction of runway, taxiway and apron would cost around Rs 1,100 crore, the cost of constructing the terminal building, cargo building, car park and face uplift would be around Rs 1,250 crore.
In 2006-07, the existing airport handled 97,680 aircraft movement and its capacity to handle aircraft movement is likely to saturate by 2014-15. The airport's international terminal handled 2.8 million passengers against a capacity of 3 million per year in 2006-07. Similarly, it handled 5.9 million passengers against an annual capacity of 6 million passengers in 2006-07. Both these terminals are likely to be saturated by 2007-08.
Spread over an area of 1,152 acres, the existing Chennai airport has two runways (3,658 metres and 2,032 metres) and handles 25 aircraft movements per hour. While the existing domestic terminal handles 4.73 million passengers per annum, constructing an additional domestic terminal would add a capacity of five million passengers per annum.
Works amounting to Rs 221.89 crore, relating to terminal buildings, parking bays, cargo building and operations block, are currently underway at the existing airport. Once developed, these facilities would cater to a traffic demand up to the year 2010. AAI plans to construct a new domestic terminal, expand the international one, construct Phase III of the integrated cargo building and new parking bays at a cost of Rs 705 crore.
http://www.expresstravelworld.com/200707/aviationworld21.shtml
Tamil Nadu G.O Dated 09-july-2007
Land Acquisition – Kancheepuram District – Acquisition of 583 Hectares of land for the Restructuring and Modernisation of Chennai Airport under the provisions of Tamil Nadu Acquisition of Land for Industrial Purpose Act, 1997 as amended by the Tamil Nadu Acquisition of Land for Industrial Purposes (Amendment) Act of 17 of 2005 – Administrative sanction accorded – Cancelled – Orders issued – Freezing of all building activities for the newly proposed acquisition for expansion of Chennai Airport and formation of Greenfield Airport – Instructions issued .
Transport (I.2) Department
G.O. MS. No.70Date: 09th July 2007
Read:
1. G.O. Ms. No.91, Transport (I2) Department, dated 14/12/2005.
Read Also:
2. Government Letter No.14808/I.2/2004-28, Transport Department, dated 14/12/2005, addressed to Member Secretary, Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority, Chennai-600008.
****
ORDER
An all Legislative Party Leader’s meeting was held under the Chairmanship of Hon’ble Chief Minister on 22/05/2007, to discuss about the selection of lands for the Modernisation and Expansion of Chennai Airport. As a follow-up action to the above meeting, the orders issued in Government Order first read above according Administrative Sanction for acquisition of 583 Hectares of lands for the Restructuring and Modernisation of Chennai Airport under the provisions of Tamil Nadu Acquisition of Land for Industrial Purpose Act, 1997 as amended by the Tamil Nadu Acquisition of Land for Industrial Purposes (Amendment) Act of 17 of 2005, is cancelled. The instructions issued to the Member Secretary, Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority, Chennai, to freeze all building activities in the above area, in the letter second read above is also withdrawn.
2. Further, as decided in the All Legislative Party Leaders’ Meeting held under the Chairmanship of Hon’ble Chief Minister on 22/05/2007, acquisition of 1069.99 Acres of lands is proposed in the villages of Manapakkam, Kolapakkam, Gerugambakkam and Tharapakkam in Sriperumpudur Taluk, Kancheepuram District, for expansion of Chennai Airport and also acquisition of 4820.66 Acres of lands is proposed for the formation of Greenfield Airport in Sriperumpudur and Thiruvallur Taluks, near Chennai.
3. The Member Secretary, Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority, Chennai, is directed to take necessary immediate action to freeze all building activities in the approach area and issue suitable notification in this regard, after getting necessary proposals with full details from the Airports Authority of India.
(By Order of Governor)
DEBENDRANATH SARANGISecretary to Government
To
The Special Commissioner and Commissioner of Land Administration, Chennai-5.
The District Collectors, Kancheepuram / Thiruvallur District.
The Member Secretary, Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority, Chennai-8.
The Executive Director (LM), Airports Authority of India, New Delhi.
The Regional Executive Director, Airports Authority of India, Chennai-27.
The Director, Airports Authority of India, New Delhi / Chennai-27.
Copy to:
The Secretary to Hon’ble Chief Minister, Chennai-9.
The Secretary, Revenue Department, Chennai-9.
The Secretary, Industries Department, Chennai-9.
The Secretary, Housing & Urban Development Department, Chennai-9.
The Secretary, Finance Department, Chennai-9.
The Senior P.A. to Minister (Transport), Chennai-9.
The Senior P.A. to Minister (Housing), Chennai-9.
The Sr. P.S. to Chief Secretary, Chennai-9.
The Sr. P.S. to Secretary to Government, Transport Department, Chennai-9.
http://www.tn.gov.in/gorders/transport/trans_e_70_2007.htm
Transport (I.2) Department
G.O. MS. No.70Date: 09th July 2007
Read:
1. G.O. Ms. No.91, Transport (I2) Department, dated 14/12/2005.
Read Also:
2. Government Letter No.14808/I.2/2004-28, Transport Department, dated 14/12/2005, addressed to Member Secretary, Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority, Chennai-600008.
****
ORDER
An all Legislative Party Leader’s meeting was held under the Chairmanship of Hon’ble Chief Minister on 22/05/2007, to discuss about the selection of lands for the Modernisation and Expansion of Chennai Airport. As a follow-up action to the above meeting, the orders issued in Government Order first read above according Administrative Sanction for acquisition of 583 Hectares of lands for the Restructuring and Modernisation of Chennai Airport under the provisions of Tamil Nadu Acquisition of Land for Industrial Purpose Act, 1997 as amended by the Tamil Nadu Acquisition of Land for Industrial Purposes (Amendment) Act of 17 of 2005, is cancelled. The instructions issued to the Member Secretary, Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority, Chennai, to freeze all building activities in the above area, in the letter second read above is also withdrawn.
2. Further, as decided in the All Legislative Party Leaders’ Meeting held under the Chairmanship of Hon’ble Chief Minister on 22/05/2007, acquisition of 1069.99 Acres of lands is proposed in the villages of Manapakkam, Kolapakkam, Gerugambakkam and Tharapakkam in Sriperumpudur Taluk, Kancheepuram District, for expansion of Chennai Airport and also acquisition of 4820.66 Acres of lands is proposed for the formation of Greenfield Airport in Sriperumpudur and Thiruvallur Taluks, near Chennai.
3. The Member Secretary, Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority, Chennai, is directed to take necessary immediate action to freeze all building activities in the approach area and issue suitable notification in this regard, after getting necessary proposals with full details from the Airports Authority of India.
(By Order of Governor)
DEBENDRANATH SARANGISecretary to Government
To
The Special Commissioner and Commissioner of Land Administration, Chennai-5.
The District Collectors, Kancheepuram / Thiruvallur District.
The Member Secretary, Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority, Chennai-8.
The Executive Director (LM), Airports Authority of India, New Delhi.
The Regional Executive Director, Airports Authority of India, Chennai-27.
The Director, Airports Authority of India, New Delhi / Chennai-27.
Copy to:
The Secretary to Hon’ble Chief Minister, Chennai-9.
The Secretary, Revenue Department, Chennai-9.
The Secretary, Industries Department, Chennai-9.
The Secretary, Housing & Urban Development Department, Chennai-9.
The Secretary, Finance Department, Chennai-9.
The Senior P.A. to Minister (Transport), Chennai-9.
The Senior P.A. to Minister (Housing), Chennai-9.
The Sr. P.S. to Chief Secretary, Chennai-9.
The Sr. P.S. to Secretary to Government, Transport Department, Chennai-9.
http://www.tn.gov.in/gorders/transport/trans_e_70_2007.htm
Meenambakkam not waiting for land acquisition
12-Jul-2007
EVEN as the district administration is yet to finalise details of land acquisition for expansion of Chennai airport, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) is going ahead with modernisation and augmentation of passenger and aircraft facilities at the airport at a faster pace.
Already the airport has completed construction of 20 parking bays for aircraft. An exclusive parking bay has also been created to receive Airbus 380 and runways and taxi tracks are being strengthened.
According to Dinesh Kumar, airport director, the parking bays were completed and improved facilities were being added from time to time.
A mega plan has been drawn up for modernisation of international terminal. This will provide an additional 12,000 square feet of space for international passenger handling, Dinesh Kumar said.
The new arrivals terminal has been readied by renovating a portion of the existing one at Anna International Terminal. Anna terminal handles 17 international operators and one more has started operating with Tiger Airlines starting flights to Singapore.
The same pattern of development will be followed at the domestic side also. Around 800 square feet area has been added when the opening of departure II to service four airlines.
According to AAI statistics the airport handled 89,74,126 passengers between April 2006 and March 2007, a whopping 32 percent increase when compared to the figures for the corresponding period last year.
There were 99,775 aircraft movement from April 2006 to March 2007, which is a 44.7 percent increase when compared to the previous years. The average aircraft movement per year is 75,000, second only to Bangalore which registers 84,000 aircraft movement per year.
E VEN as the district administra- tion is yet to finalise details of land acquisition for expansion of Chennai airport, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) is going ahead with modernisation and augmenta- tion of passenger and aircraft facilities at the airport at a faster pace.
Already the airport has completed construction of 20 parking bays for air- craft. An exclusive parking bay has also been created to receive Airbus 380 and runways and taxi tracks are being strengthened. According to Dinesh Kumar, airport director, the parking bays were com- pleted and improved facilities were being added from time to time. A mega plan has been drawn up for modernisation of international termi- nal. This will provide an additional 12,000 square feet of space for interna- tional passenger handling, Dinesh Kumar said.
The new arrivals terminal has been readied by renovating a portion of the existing one at Anna International Terminal. Anna terminal handles 17 international operators and one more has started operating with Tiger Airlines starting flights to Singapore. The same pattern of development will be followed at the domestic side also. Around 800 square feet area has been added when the opening of depar- ture II to service four airlines. According to AAI statistics the airport handled 89,74,126 passengers between April 2006 and March 2007, a whopping 32 percent increase when compared to the figures for the corresponding period last year. There were 99,775 aircraft movement from April 2006 to March 2007, which is a 44.7 percent increase when compared to the previous years.
The average air- craft movement per year is 75,000, sec- ond only to Bangalore which registers 84,000 aircraft movement per year.
http://epaper.newindpress.com/Default.aspx?selpg=675&selDt=07/11/2007&BMode=100
EVEN as the district administration is yet to finalise details of land acquisition for expansion of Chennai airport, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) is going ahead with modernisation and augmentation of passenger and aircraft facilities at the airport at a faster pace.
Already the airport has completed construction of 20 parking bays for aircraft. An exclusive parking bay has also been created to receive Airbus 380 and runways and taxi tracks are being strengthened.
According to Dinesh Kumar, airport director, the parking bays were completed and improved facilities were being added from time to time.
A mega plan has been drawn up for modernisation of international terminal. This will provide an additional 12,000 square feet of space for international passenger handling, Dinesh Kumar said.
The new arrivals terminal has been readied by renovating a portion of the existing one at Anna International Terminal. Anna terminal handles 17 international operators and one more has started operating with Tiger Airlines starting flights to Singapore.
The same pattern of development will be followed at the domestic side also. Around 800 square feet area has been added when the opening of departure II to service four airlines.
According to AAI statistics the airport handled 89,74,126 passengers between April 2006 and March 2007, a whopping 32 percent increase when compared to the figures for the corresponding period last year.
There were 99,775 aircraft movement from April 2006 to March 2007, which is a 44.7 percent increase when compared to the previous years. The average aircraft movement per year is 75,000, second only to Bangalore which registers 84,000 aircraft movement per year.
E VEN as the district administra- tion is yet to finalise details of land acquisition for expansion of Chennai airport, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) is going ahead with modernisation and augmenta- tion of passenger and aircraft facilities at the airport at a faster pace.
Already the airport has completed construction of 20 parking bays for air- craft. An exclusive parking bay has also been created to receive Airbus 380 and runways and taxi tracks are being strengthened. According to Dinesh Kumar, airport director, the parking bays were com- pleted and improved facilities were being added from time to time. A mega plan has been drawn up for modernisation of international termi- nal. This will provide an additional 12,000 square feet of space for interna- tional passenger handling, Dinesh Kumar said.
The new arrivals terminal has been readied by renovating a portion of the existing one at Anna International Terminal. Anna terminal handles 17 international operators and one more has started operating with Tiger Airlines starting flights to Singapore. The same pattern of development will be followed at the domestic side also. Around 800 square feet area has been added when the opening of depar- ture II to service four airlines. According to AAI statistics the airport handled 89,74,126 passengers between April 2006 and March 2007, a whopping 32 percent increase when compared to the figures for the corresponding period last year. There were 99,775 aircraft movement from April 2006 to March 2007, which is a 44.7 percent increase when compared to the previous years.
The average air- craft movement per year is 75,000, sec- ond only to Bangalore which registers 84,000 aircraft movement per year.
http://epaper.newindpress.com/Default.aspx?selpg=675&selDt=07/11/2007&BMode=100
Residents air grievances over airport expansion project
12-Jul-2007
Manapakkam people want their houses to be saved
MLA says efforts are on to mitigate their agony
KANCHEEPURAM: A group of people, accompanied by Sriperumpudur MLA D.Yasodha, made a representation to Collector Pradeep Yadav on Wednesday, asking him to take measures to ensure that their dwelling units at Manapakkam were not disturbed while implementing the Chennai airport expansion project.
They pointed out that several of them, who have retired from defence, civil, professional and other government services, had invested their hard-earned money in the housing project which was promoted by a Kilpauk-based real estate company during 2003-04.
The residents urged the Collector to suggest some modifications in the expansion project proposed by the Airports Authority of India.
They wanted their dwelling units, constructed at a cost of Rs.15 lakh to Rs.30 lakh, to be saved from demolition.
“Runway may be unused”
They said that the NAAI had rejected thrice the suggestion to acquire lands from Manapakkam, Tharapakkam, Kolapakkam and Gerugembakkam for the project on the ground that the soil condition was not suitable.
But they wondered how the Airports Authority of India had given its consent now.
The runway to be laid in the area to be acquired after demolishing a part of their township was not going to be used for landing of flights.
The residents said enquiries, made by them with officials concerned, had revealed that the proposed extension of runway would remain unused, once greenfield airport came up near Sriperumpudur.
Technical alterations
Since the expansion project was going to be a temporary add-on facility for the infrastructure at the Chennai airport, they pleaded that suitable technical alterations in the runway sketch be considered.
Another 100-odd families have booked their individual villas, each costing around Rs.50 lakh to Rs.65 lakh, with the same promoter, who had obtained clearance for the second phase of the housing project in the same area from the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority in March 2006, the people said.
The CMDA, in its letter, had said the proposed site for the second phase of housing project was “not affected as per the latest list”.
But the entire second-phase area had now been notified for land acquisition for the airport expansion project, they lamented.
Lands identified
Talking to reporters later, Ms. Yasodha said efforts had been made to mitigate the mental agony of the residents of Manapakkam township and that the Government had now identified suitable lands at Manapakkam itself instead of relocating the people to Manimangalam.
Assurance
Meanwhile, enquiries reveal that the District Collector had assured that necessary steps would be initiated to redress the residents’ grievances.
Link:http://www.hindu.com/2007/07/12/stories/2007071260070500.htm
Manapakkam people want their houses to be saved
MLA says efforts are on to mitigate their agony
KANCHEEPURAM: A group of people, accompanied by Sriperumpudur MLA D.Yasodha, made a representation to Collector Pradeep Yadav on Wednesday, asking him to take measures to ensure that their dwelling units at Manapakkam were not disturbed while implementing the Chennai airport expansion project.
They pointed out that several of them, who have retired from defence, civil, professional and other government services, had invested their hard-earned money in the housing project which was promoted by a Kilpauk-based real estate company during 2003-04.
The residents urged the Collector to suggest some modifications in the expansion project proposed by the Airports Authority of India.
They wanted their dwelling units, constructed at a cost of Rs.15 lakh to Rs.30 lakh, to be saved from demolition.
“Runway may be unused”
They said that the NAAI had rejected thrice the suggestion to acquire lands from Manapakkam, Tharapakkam, Kolapakkam and Gerugembakkam for the project on the ground that the soil condition was not suitable.
But they wondered how the Airports Authority of India had given its consent now.
The runway to be laid in the area to be acquired after demolishing a part of their township was not going to be used for landing of flights.
The residents said enquiries, made by them with officials concerned, had revealed that the proposed extension of runway would remain unused, once greenfield airport came up near Sriperumpudur.
Technical alterations
Since the expansion project was going to be a temporary add-on facility for the infrastructure at the Chennai airport, they pleaded that suitable technical alterations in the runway sketch be considered.
Another 100-odd families have booked their individual villas, each costing around Rs.50 lakh to Rs.65 lakh, with the same promoter, who had obtained clearance for the second phase of the housing project in the same area from the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority in March 2006, the people said.
The CMDA, in its letter, had said the proposed site for the second phase of housing project was “not affected as per the latest list”.
But the entire second-phase area had now been notified for land acquisition for the airport expansion project, they lamented.
Lands identified
Talking to reporters later, Ms. Yasodha said efforts had been made to mitigate the mental agony of the residents of Manapakkam township and that the Government had now identified suitable lands at Manapakkam itself instead of relocating the people to Manimangalam.
Assurance
Meanwhile, enquiries reveal that the District Collector had assured that necessary steps would be initiated to redress the residents’ grievances.
Link:http://www.hindu.com/2007/07/12/stories/2007071260070500.htm
Two sites in focus for greenfield airport
12-Jul-2007
CHENNAI: Two sites near Chennai are under the active consideration of the State Government for the greenfield airport, according to an official source.
Alamadi village, north of Chennai, and Sunguvarchattram near Sriperumbudur are the two sites for the new airport. Alamadi village is about 8 km from Red Hills and 30 km northwest of Chennai. One of the reasons for considering this location for the project is the site’s proximity to the proposed Outer Ring Road. In the case of Sunguvarchattram, it is close to the Chennai–Bangalore highway.
The other important criterion for considering these two sites for evaluation is the presence of large tracts of government land.
According to the source, the Government is keen to avoid acquisition problems. Other places in and around Sriperumbudur are fraught with acquisition issues since most of them are patta lands.
http://www.hindu.com/2007/07/12/stories/2007071257640100.htm
CHENNAI: Two sites near Chennai are under the active consideration of the State Government for the greenfield airport, according to an official source.
Alamadi village, north of Chennai, and Sunguvarchattram near Sriperumbudur are the two sites for the new airport. Alamadi village is about 8 km from Red Hills and 30 km northwest of Chennai. One of the reasons for considering this location for the project is the site’s proximity to the proposed Outer Ring Road. In the case of Sunguvarchattram, it is close to the Chennai–Bangalore highway.
The other important criterion for considering these two sites for evaluation is the presence of large tracts of government land.
According to the source, the Government is keen to avoid acquisition problems. Other places in and around Sriperumbudur are fraught with acquisition issues since most of them are patta lands.
http://www.hindu.com/2007/07/12/stories/2007071257640100.htm
Plea for exemption from land acquisition
24-Jun-2007
CHENNAI: Around 350 families, which had booked independent houses for an amount anywhere between Rs 20 lakh and Rs 50 lakh at the EVP Township in Tharapakkam, have requested the district administration to exempt the property from being acquired for airport expansion. Most of the families, which had already invested Rs 10 lakh as initial instalment, are uncertain about the future.
Meanwhile, the builder stopped construction on learning that the land fell under the survey number listed for acquisition for airport expansion.
In a letter to the District Collector of Kancheepuram, the families have requested the administration to avoid acquiring lands where residential projects are coming up.
According to the builder, the project was started in 2005 and stopped when the then state government decided to acquire the land for airport expansion. But, when the airport project was dropped, the builder went ahead with the project after receiving a no-objection certificate (NOC) from the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) in March 2006.
The NOC says that survey numbers 520/1 of Gerugambakkam village and survey numbers 20/1 to 65 of Tharapakkam village ‘‘are not affected by the proposed international airport as per the latest list.’’
Based on this, the EVP township, comprising 387 houses, were marketed and sold. Of the total houses, 184 are under construction, while 80 to 90 are nearing completion.
Tamilselvan, who had booked a house in the township, said that most of the people had taken bank loans and the government decision to acquire land made the banks stop release of the loan amount.‘‘But, we are forced to pay the interest instalments for the money already received and handed over to the builder,’’ he added.
Using the initial payment from the families, the EVP had built a compound wall, drainage network, etc, on the site.
Kalyanaraman, who had booked a house in June 2006, said that the district administration was not providing a clear picture on whether the land would be acquired or exempted.‘‘How come the state government decided to acquire land for airport expansion after issuing planning permits,’’ the residents asked.
The families met the builder on Saturday to discuss further course of action to save their property and savings ‘stuck’ in the project.
CHENNAI: Around 350 families, which had booked independent houses for an amount anywhere between Rs 20 lakh and Rs 50 lakh at the EVP Township in Tharapakkam, have requested the district administration to exempt the property from being acquired for airport expansion. Most of the families, which had already invested Rs 10 lakh as initial instalment, are uncertain about the future.
Meanwhile, the builder stopped construction on learning that the land fell under the survey number listed for acquisition for airport expansion.
In a letter to the District Collector of Kancheepuram, the families have requested the administration to avoid acquiring lands where residential projects are coming up.
According to the builder, the project was started in 2005 and stopped when the then state government decided to acquire the land for airport expansion. But, when the airport project was dropped, the builder went ahead with the project after receiving a no-objection certificate (NOC) from the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) in March 2006.
The NOC says that survey numbers 520/1 of Gerugambakkam village and survey numbers 20/1 to 65 of Tharapakkam village ‘‘are not affected by the proposed international airport as per the latest list.’’
Based on this, the EVP township, comprising 387 houses, were marketed and sold. Of the total houses, 184 are under construction, while 80 to 90 are nearing completion.
Tamilselvan, who had booked a house in the township, said that most of the people had taken bank loans and the government decision to acquire land made the banks stop release of the loan amount.‘‘But, we are forced to pay the interest instalments for the money already received and handed over to the builder,’’ he added.
Using the initial payment from the families, the EVP had built a compound wall, drainage network, etc, on the site.
Kalyanaraman, who had booked a house in June 2006, said that the district administration was not providing a clear picture on whether the land would be acquired or exempted.‘‘How come the state government decided to acquire land for airport expansion after issuing planning permits,’’ the residents asked.
The families met the builder on Saturday to discuss further course of action to save their property and savings ‘stuck’ in the project.
Press Release - Ministry of Civil Aviation
15-Jun-2007
CHENNAI AIRPORT TO BE UPGRADED AND MODERNISED BY AAI
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Prime Minister’s Committee on Infrastructure which met here today has decided that Chennai Airport will be upgraded and modernized by the Airports Authority of India (AAI). The Committee has also asked for a pre-feasibility report for a greenfield airport near Chennai.
The present airport in Chennai handle about 25 aircraft movement per hour and in the year 2006-07 it handled 97680 aircraft movement. The capacity of Airport to handle aircraft movement is expected to be saturated by the year 2014-15.
The Airport handled 2.8 million passengers in its international terminal in 2006-07. The capacity of this terminal is 3 million annually and it is expected to be saturated by 2007-08. Similarly the domestic terminal which handled 5.9 million passengers in 2006-07 has a capacity to handle 6 million passengers annually and will be saturated by 2007-08.
The Airport Cargo handling capacity is also expected to be saturated around the same time. The modernization and restructuring is expected to cost around approximately Rs.2350 crore of which cost of construction of runway, taxiway and apron would be around Rs. 1100 crore and cost of construction of terminal building, cargo building, car park and face Uplift would be Rs.1250 crore.
CHENNAI AIRPORT TO BE UPGRADED AND MODERNISED BY AAI
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Prime Minister’s Committee on Infrastructure which met here today has decided that Chennai Airport will be upgraded and modernized by the Airports Authority of India (AAI). The Committee has also asked for a pre-feasibility report for a greenfield airport near Chennai.
The present airport in Chennai handle about 25 aircraft movement per hour and in the year 2006-07 it handled 97680 aircraft movement. The capacity of Airport to handle aircraft movement is expected to be saturated by the year 2014-15.
The Airport handled 2.8 million passengers in its international terminal in 2006-07. The capacity of this terminal is 3 million annually and it is expected to be saturated by 2007-08. Similarly the domestic terminal which handled 5.9 million passengers in 2006-07 has a capacity to handle 6 million passengers annually and will be saturated by 2007-08.
The Airport Cargo handling capacity is also expected to be saturated around the same time. The modernization and restructuring is expected to cost around approximately Rs.2350 crore of which cost of construction of runway, taxiway and apron would be around Rs. 1100 crore and cost of construction of terminal building, cargo building, car park and face Uplift would be Rs.1250 crore.
Centre okays Chennai airport revamp
15-Jun-07
NEW DELHI: The Centre on Friday paved the way for modernising the Chennai airport as also begin preparatory work on a greenfield one there. The Prime Minister's committee of infrastructure put its stamp on the state government's recommendation and decided that the Airports Authority of India (AAI) will upgrade the existing airport at a cost of Rs 2,350 crore. It also asked for a pre-feasibility report for a greenfield airport near Chennai.
Giving the break-up of the expected cost, an aviation ministry official said: "The cost of construction of runway, taxiway and apron would be around Rs 1,100 crore and cost of construction of terminal building, cargo building, car park and face lift would be Rs 1,250 crore." The authority is giving final touches to its master plan for the existing place that envisions building a new domestic terminal and upgrading the international one.
The existing Chennai airport can handle about 25 aircraft movement per hour and. Even after expansion, the airport will get saturated by 2014-15 and the greenfield airport has to be ready then. The same logic has been applied in Mumbai where also the Navi Mumbai airport is to be ready in time the existing ones gets saturated around the same time.
"The Airport handled 2.8 million international passengers in 2006-07. The capacity of this terminal is 3 million annually. Similarly the domestic terminal which handled 5.9 million passengers in 2006-07 has a capacity to handle 6 million passengers annually and will be saturated by 2007-08," said the official while highlighting the importance of upgrading the existing airport. The cargo handling capacity is also expected to be saturated around the same time.
NEW DELHI: The Centre on Friday paved the way for modernising the Chennai airport as also begin preparatory work on a greenfield one there. The Prime Minister's committee of infrastructure put its stamp on the state government's recommendation and decided that the Airports Authority of India (AAI) will upgrade the existing airport at a cost of Rs 2,350 crore. It also asked for a pre-feasibility report for a greenfield airport near Chennai.
Giving the break-up of the expected cost, an aviation ministry official said: "The cost of construction of runway, taxiway and apron would be around Rs 1,100 crore and cost of construction of terminal building, cargo building, car park and face lift would be Rs 1,250 crore." The authority is giving final touches to its master plan for the existing place that envisions building a new domestic terminal and upgrading the international one.
The existing Chennai airport can handle about 25 aircraft movement per hour and. Even after expansion, the airport will get saturated by 2014-15 and the greenfield airport has to be ready then. The same logic has been applied in Mumbai where also the Navi Mumbai airport is to be ready in time the existing ones gets saturated around the same time.
"The Airport handled 2.8 million international passengers in 2006-07. The capacity of this terminal is 3 million annually. Similarly the domestic terminal which handled 5.9 million passengers in 2006-07 has a capacity to handle 6 million passengers annually and will be saturated by 2007-08," said the official while highlighting the importance of upgrading the existing airport. The cargo handling capacity is also expected to be saturated around the same time.
Airport Expansion: AAI studies tech aspects to reduce river's impact
04-Jun-2007
CHENNAI: With the State Government demarcating a tract of land with the Adyar river flowing in the middle for expansion of airport, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) officials are studying various engineering techniques to minimise the impact of the water body in the project.
As the Adyar river could not be blocked out completely because it plays a vital role in minimising floods in the locality, it is learnt that the experts are looking at feasibility of connecting land on either side of the river using bridges or culverts, said sources.
The problem that bogs down the experts is how to connect the land on the west bank of the river with that of the current airport. This was because the airport authorities are proposing to build a runway along the west bank of the river, said Dinesh Kumar, airport director.
“Since the Government has decided to sanction the land, the AAI has to work around the difficulties to accommodate as many facilities as possible.”
The technical aspects of the project are handled by officials of the Authority in Delhi. And “they are looking at different possibilities, even building of bridges or culverts are not finalised because things are at the initial stages.“A clear picture is likely to emerge in a month.
We also need to know the final size of the land to ascertain the type of engineering and magnitude of facilities that can be executed for expansion,” Dinesh Kumar said.Four years ago, the AAI had rejected the same tract of land as non-feasible going by the criteria of the time, he said, “But now, the authority is working on ways to expand the airport using the land that will be allotted.”
Sources said that the scenario was unique because nowhere in the country an airport was built on land spread on either side of a water body. The engineers have to tackle flooding. Manapakkam, Kolapakkam and Kerugambakkam from where land would be acquired for the airport expansion are prone to floods, the official said.Besides, the state government is also building two culverts on two points of the river, that would soon fall under the airport campus, to prevent floods during rains.
Meanwhile, civil engineering experts said that there was no precedent of building a structure to bear the weight of an aircraft. If at all that was made possible, lot of care need to be taken because the land was notified as wetland.Dinesh Kumar said that final decision on would be taken after approval of AAI, head quarters and the ministry.
CHENNAI: With the State Government demarcating a tract of land with the Adyar river flowing in the middle for expansion of airport, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) officials are studying various engineering techniques to minimise the impact of the water body in the project.
As the Adyar river could not be blocked out completely because it plays a vital role in minimising floods in the locality, it is learnt that the experts are looking at feasibility of connecting land on either side of the river using bridges or culverts, said sources.
The problem that bogs down the experts is how to connect the land on the west bank of the river with that of the current airport. This was because the airport authorities are proposing to build a runway along the west bank of the river, said Dinesh Kumar, airport director.
“Since the Government has decided to sanction the land, the AAI has to work around the difficulties to accommodate as many facilities as possible.”
The technical aspects of the project are handled by officials of the Authority in Delhi. And “they are looking at different possibilities, even building of bridges or culverts are not finalised because things are at the initial stages.“A clear picture is likely to emerge in a month.
We also need to know the final size of the land to ascertain the type of engineering and magnitude of facilities that can be executed for expansion,” Dinesh Kumar said.Four years ago, the AAI had rejected the same tract of land as non-feasible going by the criteria of the time, he said, “But now, the authority is working on ways to expand the airport using the land that will be allotted.”
Sources said that the scenario was unique because nowhere in the country an airport was built on land spread on either side of a water body. The engineers have to tackle flooding. Manapakkam, Kolapakkam and Kerugambakkam from where land would be acquired for the airport expansion are prone to floods, the official said.Besides, the state government is also building two culverts on two points of the river, that would soon fall under the airport campus, to prevent floods during rains.
Meanwhile, civil engineering experts said that there was no precedent of building a structure to bear the weight of an aircraft. If at all that was made possible, lot of care need to be taken because the land was notified as wetland.Dinesh Kumar said that final decision on would be taken after approval of AAI, head quarters and the ministry.
600 people detained for protesting airport expansion
Kanchipuram, June 5: Around 600 people were arrested at the Collectorate here for protesting against the proposed land acquisition for Chennai airport expansion.
Residents of Gerugumbakkam village on Monday reached the Collectorate in 20 vans, blocked the approach road and sought an assurance that their lands would not be acquired, police said. Later some representatives of the villagers met District Collector Pradeep Yadav, who assured them that the land survey process has not yet begun for the project.
He gave an assurance that they would not be affected by the proposed project and also promised to visit the area. However, majority of the protesters were not satisfied and went on with their agitation. Police arrested them and forcibly removed them from the spot. Due to lack of space in police stations, all of them were kept in a marriage hall till late in the evening before being released.
Residents of Gerugumbakkam village on Monday reached the Collectorate in 20 vans, blocked the approach road and sought an assurance that their lands would not be acquired, police said. Later some representatives of the villagers met District Collector Pradeep Yadav, who assured them that the land survey process has not yet begun for the project.
He gave an assurance that they would not be affected by the proposed project and also promised to visit the area. However, majority of the protesters were not satisfied and went on with their agitation. Police arrested them and forcibly removed them from the spot. Due to lack of space in police stations, all of them were kept in a marriage hall till late in the evening before being released.
Airport to get parallel runway
03-Jun-2007
CHENNAI: Expansion work at the Chennai airport will include creation of a parallel runway and two connecting taxi tracks beyond the Adyar river, Airport Director Dinesh Kumar said on Saturday.
"Depending upon the extent of land we get, we will decide on adding a few more facilities at the acquired place," Mr. Kumar said. The expansion work would be completed within 18 to 24 months from the date the State Government handed over the acquired land to the Airports Authority of India (AAI).
The AAI is awaiting the Board's consent to begin the expansion work. According to AAI sources, any proposal regarding airport development would be sent to the AAI Board for approval. The expansion work would begin only after the AAI authorities received a formal clearance from the Board. As per the procedure, the State Government had surveyed the areas and started the acquisition process. Once the acquisition was over, the lands would be handed over to the AAI for the expansion work, said the sources.
On its part, the Kancheepuram district administration has identified the survey numbers in four villages — Kolappakkam, Manappakkam, Tharappakkam and Gerugambakkam.
A senior officer said the survey numbers had already been given to the local panchayat officials and that they had been advised to display the same in the villages.
As of now, the district administration has completed the survey work and is waiting for the Government to issue an order. The actual acquisition process would begin after this.
An AAI source said they would first fence the entire area and reclaim it by filling the place. The AAI would construct box culverts across the Adyar to connect it to the existing airport.
The approval from the AAI Board is expected shortly and the works would begin soon after.
CHENNAI: Expansion work at the Chennai airport will include creation of a parallel runway and two connecting taxi tracks beyond the Adyar river, Airport Director Dinesh Kumar said on Saturday.
"Depending upon the extent of land we get, we will decide on adding a few more facilities at the acquired place," Mr. Kumar said. The expansion work would be completed within 18 to 24 months from the date the State Government handed over the acquired land to the Airports Authority of India (AAI).
The AAI is awaiting the Board's consent to begin the expansion work. According to AAI sources, any proposal regarding airport development would be sent to the AAI Board for approval. The expansion work would begin only after the AAI authorities received a formal clearance from the Board. As per the procedure, the State Government had surveyed the areas and started the acquisition process. Once the acquisition was over, the lands would be handed over to the AAI for the expansion work, said the sources.
On its part, the Kancheepuram district administration has identified the survey numbers in four villages — Kolappakkam, Manappakkam, Tharappakkam and Gerugambakkam.
A senior officer said the survey numbers had already been given to the local panchayat officials and that they had been advised to display the same in the villages.
As of now, the district administration has completed the survey work and is waiting for the Government to issue an order. The actual acquisition process would begin after this.
An AAI source said they would first fence the entire area and reclaim it by filling the place. The AAI would construct box culverts across the Adyar to connect it to the existing airport.
The approval from the AAI Board is expected shortly and the works would begin soon after.
Message in Indian Express
CHENNAI: Barely a week ago, the residents of Marvel Riverview County at Manapakkam, were happily chalking out plans to make the enclave of 140 two-storeyed independent houses green.Now, they are blaming their fate as the district administration has notified that at least 80 occupied houses and several others that are under- construction will be acquired for expansion of the airport.
Located close to the west bank of Adayar river, the colony has majority of houses, which would be acquired for the airport project from Manapakkam panchayat. Meanwhile, the residents of the enclave, who have purchased the houses worth Rs 35 to Rs 40 lakh each using housing loans from major bankers, have appealed to the district administration to exempt them from acquisition. ‘‘The land that falls in the survey numbers 393, 395 and 397 totalling 3.97 acres will be in the periphery of the expanded airport campus. Hence, we are hoping to get the district administration to exempt us. If they can change the plan a little bit, we will be saved,’’ said Venugopal, president, Marvel Riverview County Owners Welfare Association.
As soon as the announcement came about the land acquisition, the builder had stopped constructing the rest of the houses in phase two. This has also affected construction in the panchayat where several builders have proposed residential projects.
In the last two years, Manapakkam has emerged as a preferable residential area because of its proximity to Porur and Guindy. The residents are retired officers from defence and State and Central Government services, who have purchased the property lured by the peaceful and quiet ambience of the locality. A few families have moved into their new houses just two months ago, said Colonel Balakrishan, a retired Army officer. Four years ago, there was a move to acquire land for airport expansion, which got cancelled after the Airports Authority of India (AAI) maintained that the land was not fit for use. What irks the residents is that many of them decided to purchase the houses believing the letter from the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) on March 2006, which said that the site bearing the survey numbers would not be acquired. As the residents have invested their life savings, they did not want to move out.
‘‘Most of the houses marked for the airport falls in the Riverview County. The rest are either vacant or wet land,’’ said Pandian, president, Manapakkam panchayat.
Pradeep Yadav, District Collector, Kancheepuram, said that the survey numbers published were only an indicative list and not final and hence the residents need not worry. The alignment of the land would be finalised after considering the requirement of the Airports Authority of India.
Located close to the west bank of Adayar river, the colony has majority of houses, which would be acquired for the airport project from Manapakkam panchayat. Meanwhile, the residents of the enclave, who have purchased the houses worth Rs 35 to Rs 40 lakh each using housing loans from major bankers, have appealed to the district administration to exempt them from acquisition. ‘‘The land that falls in the survey numbers 393, 395 and 397 totalling 3.97 acres will be in the periphery of the expanded airport campus. Hence, we are hoping to get the district administration to exempt us. If they can change the plan a little bit, we will be saved,’’ said Venugopal, president, Marvel Riverview County Owners Welfare Association.
As soon as the announcement came about the land acquisition, the builder had stopped constructing the rest of the houses in phase two. This has also affected construction in the panchayat where several builders have proposed residential projects.
In the last two years, Manapakkam has emerged as a preferable residential area because of its proximity to Porur and Guindy. The residents are retired officers from defence and State and Central Government services, who have purchased the property lured by the peaceful and quiet ambience of the locality. A few families have moved into their new houses just two months ago, said Colonel Balakrishan, a retired Army officer. Four years ago, there was a move to acquire land for airport expansion, which got cancelled after the Airports Authority of India (AAI) maintained that the land was not fit for use. What irks the residents is that many of them decided to purchase the houses believing the letter from the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) on March 2006, which said that the site bearing the survey numbers would not be acquired. As the residents have invested their life savings, they did not want to move out.
‘‘Most of the houses marked for the airport falls in the Riverview County. The rest are either vacant or wet land,’’ said Pandian, president, Manapakkam panchayat.
Pradeep Yadav, District Collector, Kancheepuram, said that the survey numbers published were only an indicative list and not final and hence the residents need not worry. The alignment of the land would be finalised after considering the requirement of the Airports Authority of India.
Airport modernisation to be taken by PM's Infra Committee
28-05-2007
New Delhi, May 28 (PTI): 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.
The 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 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 talukas 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, Kerugambakkam and Tharapakkam in Sriperumbudur talukas 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.
New Delhi, May 28 (PTI): 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.
The 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 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 talukas 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, Kerugambakkam and Tharapakkam in Sriperumbudur talukas 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.
Lands for airport expansion, new airport identified
23-May-2007
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.
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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