CHENNAI: The Madras High Court on Tuesday directed the State Government to produce the records pertaining to its Government Order (GO) to acquire lands for expansion of Chennai airport, setting up of Greenfield airport and to freeze the building activities in the areas concerned.
The records should be produced in court on September 27. Justice A Kulasekaran gave the directive on a writ petition filed by EVP Housing Chennai Private Limited, challenging the State Government order dated July 9, 2007, for acquisition of 1,069.99 acres of lands in villages of Manapakkam, Kolapakkam, Gerugambakkam and Tharapakkam in Sriperumbudur taluk and 4,820.66 acres of lands in Tiruvallur and Sriperumbudur taluks for the formation of Greenfield airport.
The Government in its impugned order also directed the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) to take immediate action to freeze all the building activities in the ‘approach area’ and issue suitable notification after getting necessary proposals with full details from the Airports Authority of India.
According to the petitioner-company, it had developed layouts in Kolapakkam, Tharapakkam and Gerugambakkam areas after obtaining the layout approval from the CMDA in February 2005, while some people purchased the plots and started constructing houses through the petitioner.
Stating that it would not have developed the layout if the CMDA had not granted the approval, the petitioner said the Government’s proceedings to acquire the lands and freeze the building activities had resulted in great hardships to the petitioner-company and all the purchasers of lands.
Contending the Government’s order was arbitrary and liable to be set aside, the petitioner-company prayed the court to quash the same.
Link:http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?ID=IE920070918231409&Page=9&Headline=Airport+expansion+in+legal+wrangle&Title=Chennai&Topic=0&
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Plea in court to stop land acquisition for city airport
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.
Link:http://www.deccan.com/chennaichronicle/home/homedetails.asp#Plea%20in%20court%20to%20stop%20land%20acquisition%20for%20city%20airport
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.
Link:http://www.deccan.com/chennaichronicle/home/homedetails.asp#Plea%20in%20court%20to%20stop%20land%20acquisition%20for%20city%20airport
Court seeks details of land acquisition for airport projects
CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has called for land acquisition details for the proposed expansion of the Chennai airport and the greenfield airport scheme.
Justice A. Kulasekaran gave the direction to the State Government on a writ petition filed by E.V.P. Housing Chennai Private Limited, which sought to quash a Government Order, dated July 9, freezing all construction activities in the notified areas. He adjourned the matter by a week.
The impugned GO, passed by the Transport Department, cancelled an earlier sanction for acquisition of 583 hectares for restructuring and modernising the Chennai airport. Instead, it sought to acquire 1,069.99 acres at Manappakkam, Kolapakkam, Gerugambakkam and Tharappakkam in Sriperumpudur taluk of Kancheepuram district for expansion of the existing airport.
The GO also proposed to acquire another 4,820.66 acres for setting up a greenfield airport in Sriperumpudur and Thiruvallur taluks near Chennai.
The petitioner said he had purchased the land at a huge cost and invested significantly in developing the residential plots. The Chennai Metropolitan Development Authorities accorded approval even as late as May 2006. However, due to the lack of coordination among different government agencies, an acquisition proposal and a consequent order freezing all construction in the areas had been issued.
Purchasers of housing plots were facing a piquant situation as they could not continue construction of their buildings as banks had stopped releasing funds. But, they had to continue repayment of the loan sum already received, the petitioner-company said.
The petitioner wanted the court to quash the order.
Link:http://www.hindu.com/2007/09/19/stories/2007091961421000.htm
Justice A. Kulasekaran gave the direction to the State Government on a writ petition filed by E.V.P. Housing Chennai Private Limited, which sought to quash a Government Order, dated July 9, freezing all construction activities in the notified areas. He adjourned the matter by a week.
The impugned GO, passed by the Transport Department, cancelled an earlier sanction for acquisition of 583 hectares for restructuring and modernising the Chennai airport. Instead, it sought to acquire 1,069.99 acres at Manappakkam, Kolapakkam, Gerugambakkam and Tharappakkam in Sriperumpudur taluk of Kancheepuram district for expansion of the existing airport.
The GO also proposed to acquire another 4,820.66 acres for setting up a greenfield airport in Sriperumpudur and Thiruvallur taluks near Chennai.
The petitioner said he had purchased the land at a huge cost and invested significantly in developing the residential plots. The Chennai Metropolitan Development Authorities accorded approval even as late as May 2006. However, due to the lack of coordination among different government agencies, an acquisition proposal and a consequent order freezing all construction in the areas had been issued.
Purchasers of housing plots were facing a piquant situation as they could not continue construction of their buildings as banks had stopped releasing funds. But, they had to continue repayment of the loan sum already received, the petitioner-company said.
The petitioner wanted the court to quash the order.
Link:http://www.hindu.com/2007/09/19/stories/2007091961421000.htm
Finally, Chennai is granted its decade-old wish: second airport
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.
Link:http://www.livemint.com/2007/09/19001225/Finally-Chennai-is-granted-it.html
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.
Link:http://www.livemint.com/2007/09/19001225/Finally-Chennai-is-granted-it.html
HIGH COURT REJECTS THE CASE FILED BY EVP
Chennai High Court Rejected the case filed by EVP to issue stay order 
Thursday, September 6, 2007
Airport expansion: Work to start in January 2008
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&Title=Chennai&rLink=0
“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&Title=Chennai&rLink=0
Work on second runway at Chennai airport to begin by January 2008
Monday, September 03, 2007
The construction of a second runway at the Chennai airport will begin by January 2008.
An investment of Rs.2,700 crore will be allocated for the expansion work. Of this, Rs.1,000 crore has been earmarked for the runway and the remaining for constructing the terminal building.
In August 2007, the Airports Authority of India officials had sent the Land Plan Schedule to the Kacheepuram district administration for starting the land acquisition process. A taxiway will be created to connect the second runway and the parallel runway. Work on the runway is scheduled for completion within 24 months from the date of commencement.
http://www.projectstoday.com/newsr.asp?newsid=19104
The construction of a second runway at the Chennai airport will begin by January 2008.
An investment of Rs.2,700 crore will be allocated for the expansion work. Of this, Rs.1,000 crore has been earmarked for the runway and the remaining for constructing the terminal building.
In August 2007, the Airports Authority of India officials had sent the Land Plan Schedule to the Kacheepuram district administration for starting the land acquisition process. A taxiway will be created to connect the second runway and the parallel runway. Work on the runway is scheduled for completion within 24 months from the date of commencement.
http://www.projectstoday.com/newsr.asp?newsid=19104
Monday, September 3, 2007
Sunday, September 2, 2007
Work on second runway soon
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.
Link:http://www.hindu.com/2007/09/02/stories/2007090260150600.htm
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.
Link:http://www.hindu.com/2007/09/02/stories/2007090260150600.htm
Secondary runway at Chennai airport to be extended
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.
Link:http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2007/09/03/stories/2007090351501500.htm
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.
Link:http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2007/09/03/stories/2007090351501500.htm
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