Friday, January 25, 2008

Message in New Indian Express 25_01_2008

Airport in land trouble:

CHENNAI: The Rs 2,700-crore expansion project of Chennai airport, which is struggling to manage increase in air-traffic, seems to have hit a roadblock.

As acquisition of 1,066 acres of land in Gerugambakkam, Manapakkam, Kolapakkam and Tharapakkam has been caught in a wrangle with the residents, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) has not been able to start the project on time.

As per the Centre’s plan, works — to build a parallel runway, a taxi way and an integrated terminal— should have started early this month.It was slated for completion in two years, so that the airport would be able to manage the growing traffic till 2016 — when the greenfield airport at Sriperumbudur is completed.

Refusing to comment on the project’s status, AAI chairman K Ramalingam said, “We are holding talks with the stakeholders.”

Meanwhile, residents have met Kancheepuram Collector to urge the government to develop the airport without affecting people.

http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?ID=IE920080124222145&Page=9&Title=Chennai&Topic=0&

No comments: