Airport expansion work yet to take off in Coimbatore.

Times of India: Coimbotore: Saturday, January 25, 2025.

In August last year, when the state govt announced that it was handing over 469 acres of land on a 99-year lease without any conditions to the Airport Authority of India (AAI), many thought the decks were cleared for the long-pending expansion of the city airport and the work would begin immediately.

But five months later, there is no progress in the work, raising concerns if the multi-crore project is stuck in bureaucratic red tapism. In response to queries filed under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, it was told that the AAI was yet to get possession of the land. "The requested land from the state govt is yet to be handed over,'' said the response dated on January 22. The RTI reply also said neither a detailed project report was prepared yet.

Commenting on the RTI reply, district revenue officer M Sharmila said the district administration had handed over 469 acres to the AAI. "Only 10 acres is pending, of which six acres is a parcel of govt land caught in litigation.'' Sharmila said the documents to lease the land without any condition had also been provided to the AAI. However, the AAI has yet to formally acknowledge the possession, she said.

Interim airport director G Sambath Kumar said an agreement for lease did not imply handing over of the land. "Certain issues have been identified with regard to the land and the same have been taken to the notice of the district collector. Besides, the entire land required must be handed over," he said referring to the pending patch of land.

"When we asked, they said there are few trees that needs to be felled and some buildings that have to be demolished. But similar issues are there in Trichy and Madurai too. They have taken possession of the land there, whereas they are not doing so here,'' a senior state govt officer said. The officer said the AAI was told that they could fell the trees and demolish the buildings on the land handed over.

Now the district administration has decided to send a letter to the AAI, asking them to commence work. "Out of the total 627 acres required, the AAI has working permission on 148 acres of defence land. From the 472 acres to be handed over by the state govt, the problems that the AAI points out pertains only to two acres. So, we are asking them to start work on the rest of the land,'' the officer said.

Collector Kranthi Kumar Pati confirmed that the district administration had decided to send a letter to the AAI, asking it to commence work. "We have given enter upon permission and requested them to take over. They raised a few queries. We told the AAI that the issues will be resolved, but they could start work meanwhile,'' he told TOI.

However, AAI officials said they could prepare a detailed project report only if they get hold of the entire land.

The delay has irked the residents, particularly the industrial community. Coimbatore MP Ganapathy Rajkumar P blamed the Centre for the delay and urged the AAI to commence work immediately.