Coimbatore airport expansion | AAI takes possession of 470 acres of land; starts preliminary works

The Airport Authority of India has commenced a survey of the land handed over to them for the expansion of the Coimbatore International Airport.
| Photo Credit: file photo

Following demands from various quarters for the expansion of the Coimbatore International Airport, the Airports Authority (AAI) of India has taken possession of about 470 acres of land and started preliminary works.

Sources in the know of the development said that the AAI took possession of 470.17 acres of land and acknowledged the handing over process on Tuesday, January 28.

The total area of land identified for the expansion of the airport is 632.95 acres, which include 468.83 acres of patta land, 134.32 acres of defence land and 29.80 acres of government poramboke land.

The 470.17 acres of land taken over by the AAI include 449.59 acres of patta land and 20.58 acres of government poramboke land.

As part of taking the land into possession, the AAI started surveying the land from Monday (January 27), to measure the area handed over to it by the government. The Revenue Department had already demarcated the acquired land and erected fence. The AAI will erect compound walls after measuring the area again with its own survey team, said the sources.

They said that the process of acquiring the remaining patta land was under process, including acquisition under Section 7 (3) of the Tamil Nadu Acquisition of Land for Industrial Purpose Act through court. The process was expected to be completed in a few days.

Coimbatore District Collector had given the AAI enter-upon permission for 472.325 acres of land in August last year, which included 451.745 acres of patta land and 20.58 acres of poramboke land. In addition, working permission had been allotted for the defence land.

The 632.95 acres identified for the expansion is spread across Irugur, Neelambur, Kalapatty, Singanallur, and Uppilipalayam villages.