SAVE PEOPLE FROM CHENNAI AIRPORT EXPANSION

Parallel runway plan in city aborted

2011-11-24T11:26:00.000-08:00

Parallel runway plan in city aborted

CHENNAI: The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has dropped its plan to build a parallel runway at the Chennai airport. The decision comes after the state government informed AAI that they would rather prefer a new airport at Sriperumbudur.

The parallel runway was proposed in 2006 after studies showed that the existing terminals and runways would be inadequate to handle air traffic and the existing airport will saturate by 2015. But AAI had put the project on hold after the state government in 2009 expressed a keen interest to have an airport at Sriperumbudur.

The project was put on hold after AAI chairman V P Agrawal met the then state chief secretary K S Sripathy. They commissioned a study by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) on the feasibility of building a new airport at Sriperumbudur.

The ICAO study, published in 2010, recommended that a parallel runway need not be constructed if a new airport was going to be built at Sriperumbudur. AAI officials handed over the report to the state government soon after Jayalalithaa took over after the elections this year. After the state government expressed its wish to have a second airport, AAI sent a letter saying that they will not require the land marked for acquisition for the parallel runway, said airport director E P Hareendranathan.

The four-runway second airport is proposed to be built on 4,823 acres at Sunguvarchathiram near Sriperumbudur, northwest of Chennai, at an estimated cost of Rs 3,500 crore, according to its initial plans.

Close to 1,000 acres in Kolapakkam, Manapakkam, Tharapakkam and Gerugambakkam area have been marked for acquisition for the parallel runway and the state government served notices to land owners in 2007. However, the government was finding it difficult to acquire land northwest of the Adyar river. It was estimated that the land acquisition would cost Rs 2,000 crore.

Residents of the areas had been protesting the move to acquire land for the runway for more than three years. They wanted the state government to build a second airport and de-notify their land. However, the state government is yet to de-notify the land that was marked for acquisition.

There was a feeling among officials that it would be more logical to have a second airport than spending money to expand the existing airport. The existing airport cannot be expanded further because land around the campus has been developed into residential localities.

AAI needs about 5,000 acres in Sripreumbudur for the construction of the new airport. Now, it remains to be seen if the government can get the work done in a fast-track mode.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/Parallel-runway-plan-in-city-aborted/articleshow/10851598.cms

TN to take a call on second airport in Chennai

2011-08-08T10:41:00.000-07:00

CHENNAI: With the Airports Authority of India submitting a feasibility report for a second airport for Chennai, the state government has to take a decision on the issue as the terminals here receive more passengers and cargo, senior AAI officials said.

A feasibility report on a second airport for Chennai, near Sriperumbudur was submitted to the Chief Secretary Debendranath Sarangi by AAI's Chairman V P Agarwal on August 6, officials said.

"It was a technical study on the possibility of dual airport operation in Sriperumbudur. The rough area estimation of the second airport is 5,000 acres. Now, the state has to take a call on the issue and allot land accordingly," they said.

Expansion of the domestic terminal is expected to be over by this year end and the international terminal should be over by January next. "Though, the present expansion will help handle more travellers and cargo, it will reach its saturation by 2017 or 2018. So, we need another airport. By 2020, the second airport should be in operation," officials said.

Chennai airport handled 12 million air passengers and 2,95,500 tonnes of cargo in 2010-11 against 10.5 million passengers and 2,49,000 tonnes of cargo in 2009-10.

Sriperumbudur is an industrial town in Kancheepuram district.

http://expressbuzz.com/states/tamilnadu/tn-to-take-a-call-on-second-airport-in-chennai/302278.html

Give 5,000 acres for new airport, says AAI

2011-08-08T10:38:00.000-07:00

Give 5,000 acres for new airport, says AAI

CHENNAI: The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has informed the state government that it is ready to construct a second airport for Chennai in Sriperumbudur provided 5,000 acres of land are made available for the purpose. Earlier, the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) had given its green signal for the new airport project in its feasibility study. AAI chairman V P Agrawal handed over ICAO's report to chief secretary Debendranath Sarangi on Saturday. "We have asked for 5,000 acres of land which will be needed to construct the new airport. In the first phase, runways and other facilities will be constructed. Around Rs 5,000 crore will be needed for the project," Agrawal said.

The civil aviation ministry had earlier announced that the new airport would not be handed over to the private sector. AAI sources said that the government would now decide whether to construct a new airport or to build a parallel runway at the existing airport. As the existing airport is getting saturated, AAI proposed to construct a parallel runway. However, it was soon found out that the cost of land acquistion would be high. So, a new airport was proposed and the DMK government identified land at Sriperumbudur over three years ago for the project and informed the union ministry. AAI conducted a study and found that an airport can be built at the land earmarked for the project by the then state government. Agrawal also assured the state government that the ongoing expansion works at the existing airport would be completed as per the new schedule. The new domestic terminal would be ready by December this year while the international terminal would be commissioned by January 2012, he added.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/Give-5000-acres-for-new-airport-says-AAI/articleshow/9523467.cms

Message in Dinamalar_08_06_2011

2011-06-07T19:44:00.000-07:00

FERVENT APPEAL TO THE HON’BLE CHIEF MINISTER OF TAMILNADU

2011-05-25T21:31:00.001-07:00

FERVENT APPEAL TO THE HON’BLE CHIEF MINISTER OF TAMILNADU

Greetings to You Madam & We, the people, Congratulate You and Wish You a Great Success !

On behalf of the families at Manapakkam, Gerugampakkam, Kolapakkam and Tharapakkam affected by land acquisition for the proposed Parallel runway plan for Chennai airport expansion , the following appeal is submitted for the kind consideration of The Hon’ble Chief Minister of Tamilnadu:

· With your vision and dream to develop TamilNadu as No.1 state in the country, during The Hon’ble Chief Minister’s earlier stewardship 2001 thru 2006, it was decided to expand the existing airport at Meenambakkam by acquiring lands at Pozhichalur, Pammal, Anakaputhur and nearby villages

· During the above said period, we invested our life savings and bought CMDA approved lands and houses in Manapakkam, Gerugampakkam, Kolapakkam and Tharapakkam villages which were not at all considered for the expansion purposes.

· While the Airport expansion plan was in progress, the subsequent Government formed by Mr.M.Karunanithi altered above mentioned plan and decided to acquire our lands and houses for Airport expansion, runway construction in spite of clear CMDA approvals.

· On July 9th 2007, TamilNadu Government headed by Mr.M.Karunanithi issued a GO cancelling the above Airport Expansion plan and proposing to acquire 1069.99 Acres of land in the villages of Manapakkam, Gerugampakkam, Kolapakkam and Tharapakkam. CMDA was then directed to immediately freeze all building activities in these villages. This G.O. also indicated that the Government’s plans to acquire 4820.66 acres of land in Sriperumbudur & Thiruvallur taluks for constructing a new Green Field Airport.

· Because of the notices issued to us under Section 3 (2) of the Tamil Nadu Acquisition of Land for Industrial Purposes Act 1997, we are affected financially and emotionally for the past FOUR years.

· We are paying EMI on the Home loans availed by us , but no HOME to avail so far. Also, we have invested most of our life’s savings on building these houses. The majority of the residents are retired officers from defense and State and Central Government services, who have purchased the property lured by the peaceful and quiet ambience of the locality. This has been our Dream Home project and many of the investors are shattered on not being able complete the houses.

· Since the houses are not completed because of the acquisition notice, most of us are residing in rental houses, paying rent also.

· We understand that the extension of cross runway already done is sufficient to cater to the traffic expected till 2020.

· We request you to please advise the relevant authorities to de-notify our lands at the earliest so that we may proceed with continuing construction of our houses, which we left half way due to the acquisition notice. This will also put an end to the FOUR years of misery and sufferings endured by all of us.

· De-notification of these lands will also save the 947 houses of about 5000 inhabitants of the area, save the Omega International School which is providing education to more than 2000 students, save several industries and brick-kilns, wet cultivable lands, livelihood of 2000 farmers and needless to say several 1000s of crores of rupees, which can otherwise be utilized for other development schemes in the state.

· Further, it is also learnt that the parallel runway project would cause environmental issues to the Adyar River thereby endangering the ecology of the region; besides, it is also believed to pose many security threats to the air passengers, apart from flooding the runway during rainy seasons affecting the safety and normalcy of the air traffic.

· We, therefore, pray to your good offices to advise the relevant officers to de-notify our lands from the acquisition for the parallel runway project. We will be ever grateful for our lifetime to the Hon’ble Chief Minister for this act of kindness.

State-AAI meeting to discuss Chennai airport expansion

2011-05-22T05:36:00.000-07:00

State-AAI meeting to discuss Chennai airport expansion

CHENNAI: Issues relating to expansion and modernisation of Chennai airport, and the delay in completing the first phase of the modernisation project, will be discussed at a high-level meeting here next Thursday. Top officials of the State government and the Airports Authority of India (AAI) headquarters are expected to attend the meeting.

According to AAI sources in New Delhi, with a new government taking over in Tamil Nadu, the issue of airport expansion and modernisation have come to the fore.

The Rs.2,000-crore expansion project, considered important for the State's infrastructure development, has been delayed owing to various reasons. The State government is expected to press the AAI to expedite the project, which includes construction of new domestic and international terminal buildings and expansion of the secondary runway and the international cargo complex.

The AAI will raise with the State government its additional land requirements for the ongoing works and discuss the possibility of acquiring land that has already been identified for constructing a parallel runway near the existing airport, according to the sources.

The meeting will also discuss the proposed second airport at Sriperumbudur, for which the International Civil Aviation Organisation has completed a feasibility study and submitted a report to the AAI. Apart from these issues, the development of airports in Coimbatore and Madurai and according international status for the Coimbatore airport will also be discussed.

Neighbouring Kerala has three international airports – Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi and Kozhikode – whereas Tamil Nadu has just only one with the others being Customs-notified airports, the sources point out.

During her previous tenure (2001-06), Chief Minister Jayalalithaa had written to the then Prime Minister informing him that the State government would allocate 1,457 acres free to develop and modernise the Chennai airport to international standards.

http://www.hindu.com/2011/05/22/stories/2011052256190100.htm

Airport expansion: Presence of VOR overlooked

2011-05-19T22:49:00.000-07:00

Airport expansion: Presence of VOR overlooked

CHENNAI: It seems the Airports Authority of India forgot that the linkway they are constructing at the Chennai Airport to join the main and secondary runway will result in displacement of a very high frequency omni range (VOR) equipment, an essential requirement for any airport from the pilot’s perspective to identify his destination.

Sources at the airport said the officials had apparently ignored the presence of VOR in close proximity to the new linkway 1 and the parallel taxiway to main runway that have been constructed.

“Owing to its proximity to the linkway it has to be demolished as the aircraft wings will bump into it. AAI apparently didn’t foresee this during the expansion stage. It seems to be a planning error. Subsequently they also realised that there is no other convenient location except for near the hangars which couldn’t be demolished. Hence they are now having to make two VORs- one for each runway. It is a lot of work because new procedures have to be put in place and well tested before it is commissioned,” an ATC source said.

A VOR is basically a navigational instrument that gives out radials to the pilot for setting his course to come into his destination airport.

“The VOR will be unsteady if it has any obstruction in its path. A VOR, apart from a homing device, is a primary facility for an instrument approach when a pilot practises automated landing instead of manually controlling or visual flying. In the absence of a VOR, IFR (Instrument Flight Rules) landing cannot be done at all. Moreover, in absence of VOR and instrument landing system equipment, visibility requirements will become very poor leading to more diversions. Night operations are also not possible,” retired ATC official and aviation expert Krishnan said.

Regional executive director for southern region Devraj said that the current VOR was a hindrance to the developmental infrastructure of the airport. “It was coming in the way of the parallel taxiway to main runway and is a hindrance. Hence we decided to relocate it. While one VOR for main runway is almost ready, another one for secondary runway will also be installed,” he said.

Installing a VOR is, however, no easy process as new procedures for pilot’s flight path have to be put in place and tested before the DGCA gives the final approval - something that takes months.

“AAI wants us to start using the secondary runway as soon as possible for day operations but with shorter runway and no navigational aids on this we will face huge penalties and safety hazards. Moreover, after the Mumbai incident of Kingfisher flight going off the runway, DGCA approval is required for use of runway shorter than 7,000ft,” an airport source said.

“It is purely ill-planning on AAI side. All the expansion plans are being made in Delhi without the involvement of the local technical experts,” an ATC source said.

http://expressbuzz.com/cities/chennai/airport-expansion-presence-of-vor-overlooked/249675.html

Second city airport in TN hands

2011-05-18T22:19:00.000-07:00

The civil aviation ministry and state-run Airports Authority of India (AAI) on Thursday held a meeting to discuss the possible construction of a second airport for Chennai at Sriperumbudur.

Ministry sources said it was expected that the present airport could get saturated in a decade and parallel runways are not possible in this airport.

“The AAI will submit all the studies it had done and it’s up to the state government to decide whether it wants a second airport or not,” a ministry source said, adding that since the ‘site clearance’ of the possible venue at Sriperumbudur was yet to be done, the move for a second airport for Chennai “is at very preliminary stage”. The AAI is carrying out modernisation of the existing airport.

AAI regional executive director (South) Mr D Devaraj said a technical study had been undertaken by International Civil Avia-tion Organisation for dual operations (Chennai and Sripeumbudur). “It is under consideration.”

An industry source in Chennai said acquisition of land for the greenfield airport at Sriperumbudur wou-ld be history in Tamil Nadu, as it is expected to attract large amount of litigation. But then, he pointed out that since Sriperumbudur is an industrial hub, it has huge cargo potential apart from regular passenger movement.

“A greenfield airport is a necessity for Chennai as there is acute congestion. We need to push our plans as quickly as possible,” he said, arguing that the neighbouring states of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka ha-ve benefited from building new airports at their states.

http://www.deccanchronicle.com/channels/cities/chennai/second-city-airport-tn-hands-379

Manapakkam residents look to new govt to get back land

2011-05-18T22:11:00.000-07:00

CHENNAI: Residents of Manapakkam and surrounding areas are pinning their hopes on new chief minister J Jayalalithaa to go ahead with the second airport at Sriperumbudur.

The residents will get back their 900 acres of land marked and frozen for acquisition for three years at Manapakkam, Gerugambakkam, Kovur and Kolapakkam to build a parallel runway for the existing airport if the state government decides to go ahead with the new airport. The parallel runway work may not be taken up if the second airport materialises.

Nearly 1,000 families who have bought land and houses through bank loans are repaying the loan even though they have no clue whether they will come to own the property in the future.

"We are planning to meet officials of the new government after they settle down. AAI will also submit the ICAO report to the government by that time, said Vijay Kumar, vice president of Marvel River View County Owners Welfare Association at Manapakam.

The Airports Authority of India (AAI) had put the plans to build a parallel runway on hold and announced that they would not prefer to have a new runway at the existing airport if the state government went ahead with the proposed airport at Sriperumbudur.

The government has been dragging its feet on the new airport eventhough a feasibility study by AAI showed that the 4,822 acres of land at Sriperumbudur was suitable for the project.

International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) has also made a study and given positive feedback about building a new airport. The ICAO study report will be submitted to the new government, said a senior AAI official.

AAI also has been sitting on the parallel runway plan. In response to a right to information (RTI) application filed by J Parthipan, a resident, AAI said it was yet to carry out an economic feasibility study for the parallel runway. The response also says that AAI was reviewing the justification for the parallel runway based on the passenger growth projection.

"We are not able to sell our houses or land. Land prices have dipped. Many of the houses that were being constructed by builders are incomplete because the government froze the land for acquisition. The land should be denotified," said Vijaya Kumar.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/Manapakkam-residents-look-to-new-govt-to-get-back-land/articleshow/8376910.cms

Year-End-Review of the Ministry of Civil Aviation for the year 2010

2010-12-28T19:28:00.000-08:00

http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=68689

New Terminal Buildings have been commissioned at Varanasi, Barapani (Shillong), Madurai, Mysore and Ahmedabad airports.Existing terminal buildings have been upgraded/ modernized at Pune, airport. Runways/ Taxiways have been extended / expanded at Varanasi, Ranchi, Guwahati, Bhopal, Gondia, Ludhiana, Cuddappah and Coimbatore airports. Upto November 2010 progress of work for modernization and development at Chennai and Kolkata Airports has been 66% and 46%.Work on the construction of new Greenfield Airports at Pakyong in Sikkim is in progress.

Tamil Nadu committed to Chennai greenfield airport: Stalin

2010-09-11T10:32:00.000-07:00

Even as the opposition grows over a greenfield airport near here, the Tamil Nadu government Thursday reiterated its commitment to developing the project.

Delivering the valedictory address at Connect 2010, Deputy Chief Minister M.K. Stalin said: 'The government of Tamil Nadu is taking all out efforts to bring in a greenfield airport, aerospace park, financial city, sports city, outer ring road, elevated highway, metro rail to Chennai so as to make it a world class city, a destination of growth and development.'

The 10th edition of Connect 2010 - a information and communication technology (ICT) event - was jointly organised by Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), and the Tamil Nadu and Central government.

Citing Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.Karunanidhi's efforts in retaining the tax concessions given to IT companies in special economic zones (SEZ) that were sought to be removed under the Direct Tax Code, he urged these software units to speed up their projects.

Citing a study, Stalin said India has emerged as the fastest growing and the fourth largest IT market in Asia Pacific region.

'Recent McKinsey study revealed that it will be many years before China poses a threat to India in IT,' Stalin added.

He said the state has over 1,700 software and IT enabled services units and out of the 29 notified IT special economic zones (SEZ) in Tamil Nadu 19 are already functional generating a direct employment for around 46,000 persons.

Earlier CII's southern region chairman and Infosys Technologies CEO and managing director S. Gopalakrishnan said his company is planning to set up a third centre here.

He said the IT companies have started in a small way outsourcing some of the activities to units located in tier-2 cities.

According to him, 40 percent of the new IT jobs created are in metros and entrepreneurship will be the primary driver for growth of tier-2 cities.

http://sify.com/finance/tamil-nadu-committed-to-chennai-greenfield-airport-stalin-news-default-kjjxEchbgja.html

Madras Flying Club to face bulldozers soon

2010-08-24T07:41:00.001-07:00

Madras Flying Club to face bulldozers soon

CHENNAI: The Madras Flying Club (MFC) is expected to be demolished, as the Chennai Airport needs the land for expansion of the taxitrack that runs parallel to the main runway.

MFC currently occupies about 1,600 sq m land leased to them by the airport authority. The lease reportedly expired in 1997 and the MFC sought its renewal. However, as part of the airport expansion works that is under way, the taxitrack needs to be corrected and expanded near the portion where the MFC building and its hangar are located. “The taxitrack B has a bend near the MFC end, which comes too close to the runway. To expand and straighten that, almost 50% of the MFC property has to be demolished. Moreover, as flight movements have increased, MFC is not being allowed to do any flying in Chennai. They have been offering flying lessons from Vellore for the last two-three years anyway,” an airport source said.

The demolition is expected to happen once the taxitrack parallel to secondary runway is ready. After this expansion, taxitrack B will connect to the starting of the secondary runway.

The MFC, now in its 81st year of existence, has many firsts to its credit, apart from being one of the oldest landmarks of aviation in India. At one point of time, it was one of the few clubs that trained personnel in Air Force as well. At present, MFC hangars are being used to park the State owned helicopter and aircraft Cessna Citation-V5.

Protest against greenfield airport politically motivated, says CM

2010-08-24T07:38:00.000-07:00

Protest against greenfield airport politically motivated, says CM

CHENNAI: Chief minister M Karunanidhi on Wednesday charged that agitations announced by the AIADMK and PMK against land acquisition for the proposed greenfield airport at Sriperumbudur was "politically motivated". "Their intention is to prevent the DMK government from taking credit for implementing such mega projects," he charged.

In a rejoinder to the two parties, he said the agitation was totally unwarranted as no particular site had been identified so far. Only soil testing work was going on at present, he noted. Officials had taken soil samples from 64 places spread across 4,200 acres so far. Soil samples were taken from Tirumangalam, Molachur, Sokandi, Mampakkam, Sriperumbudur, Kilai, Sirukilai, Vadamangalam and Padichery in Sriperumbudur taluk and Kottaiyur, Vadalur, Thiruppanthiyur in Tiruvallur taluk. Land acquisition work had not yet started.

His government's intention was not to snatch the houses and agricultural fields of common people, he said. If any land had to be acquired, the government would provide adequate compensation, he said and added that at a recent meeting of official convened by chief secretary K S Sripathi, it was communicated to the Airports Authority of India that only the minimum required land for the airport project should be acquired.

Responding to PMK founder S Ramadoss' suggestion to shift the project to an alternative site, Karunanidhi said Ramadoss was aware that the government had narrowed in on the present site after considering a lot of other options. Any other site would have led to massive dislocation of human habitations, he claimed.

The present airport was bursting at the seams owing to congestion caused by increasing air traffic, Karunanidhi said and noted that the Centre was going ahead with plans to expand existing airports or set up greenfield airports in all major cities. Neighbouring states like Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka had completed work on new airports. "Here alone, people are keen on spiking the airport project," he lamented and added that a big airport was any growing city's necessity and if such projects were opposed, it would affect the state's economic growth.

It was at a meeting of various legislature party leaders on May 22, 2007 that it was decided to set up a greenfield airport on 4,821 acres in Sriperumbudur and Tiruvallur taluks even as expansion of the present airport in Chennai is underway. D Jayakumar of AIADMK and GK Mani of PMK attended that meeting. It was resolved to ask the Airports Authority of India to take up the work on its own. The state government had not taken this decision unilaterally, he said.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/Protest-against-greenfield-airport-politically-motivated-says-CM/articleshow/6333301.cms

Sriperumbudur: Jaya opposes land acquisition

2010-08-14T09:23:00.001-07:00

CHENNAI: AIADMK chief J. Jayalalithaa Friday opposed acquisition of land belonging to people in Sriperumbudur area for a greenfield airport, saying it would threaten their livelihood.

"The government has decided to acquire 6,921 acres for greenfield airport at Sriperumbudur belt. The acquisition process of farm lands in the villages are going at a fast pace," she said, according to a statement issued here.

People living in 20 villages will be losing their houses as well as their farm lands thereby putting their livelihood into question, she said, adding the education of several school children will be affected and religious places will also be demolished.

The AIADMK chief also strongly condemned the police action on farmers going in procession to submit a petition to the district collector against the land acquisition.

http://expressbuzz.com/states/tamilnadu/sriperumbudur-jaya-opposes-land-acquisition/197894.html

Jaya opposes land acquisition for airport at Sriperumbudur

2010-08-14T09:18:00.000-07:00

Chennai: AIADMK chief J Jayalalithaa on Friday opposed acquisition of land belonging to people in Sriperumbudur area for a greenfield airport, saying it would threaten their livelihood.
'The government has decided to acquire 6,921 acres for greenfield airport at Sriperumbudur belt. The acquisition process of farm lands in the villages are going at a fast pace,' she said, according to a statement issued here.

People living in 20 villages will be losing their houses as well as their farm lands thereby putting their livelihood into question, she said, adding the education of several school children will be affected and religious places will also be demolished.

The AIADMK chief also strongly condemned the police action on farmers going in procession to submit a petition to the district collector against the land acquisition.

http://sify.com/news/jaya-opposes-land-acquisition-for-airport-at-sriperumbudur-news-national-kinu4bfgiae.html

Message in Dinamalar_07_03_2010

2010-03-07T19:56:00.000-08:00

Sriperumbudur airport may not take off

2010-02-28T20:54:00.000-08:00

Sriperumbudur airport may not take off:

CHENNAI: The much-expected second airport at Sriperumbudur may not take off as both the Centre and the state government are preparing to shelve the project. Even as the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) has undertaken a techno-economic feasibility study of the project, a senior official in the Union civil aviation ministry said that the government is convinced that there is no urgent need for a second airport in the city, as the existing airport at Meenambakkam is being expanded.

The Airport Authority of India (AAI) is spending Rs 3,800 crore on the expansion works including construction of a new terminal and laying of a secondary runway, which are expected to be completed by April 2011. Confirming the development, sources in the state government pointed out that many major cities across the world were operating with one airport and the present air traffic in the city could not justify a second airport. As per the condition for setting up the second airport, the state government has to acquire about 5,000 acres of land and hand it over to the AAI free of cost.

"It may entail expenditure between Rs 2,500 and Rs 5,000 crore which the state government may not be ready to shell out," the sources added. The officials also argued that if private operators had to be brought in, the existing airport should be closed down as in the case of Bangalore and Hyderabad. Having spent more than Rs 3,000 crore on the expansion works of the present airport, it would not be a prudent move to close it down, they said.

The existing Chennai airport handles about 350 aircraft movements a day, which will go up to 450 a day once the expansion works are completed. "This should be sufficient to handle the growing demands for up to 2015," said a AAI official. Moreover, it would not be possible to keep two airports operational, given the traffic projections; and the additional expenditure on a mass rapid rail link between the two airports could not be justified, the officials added.

The proximity of the two airports has also gone against the proposed airport at Sriperumbudur. While internationally accepted norms say that there should be a minimum distance of 150 nautical miles between two airports, the two in Chennai are hardly 20 nautical miles apart.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/Sriperumbudur-airport-may-not-take-off/articleshow/5622087.cms

Times of India 07-Feb-2010

2010-02-07T21:20:00.000-08:00

http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Daily/Skins/TOI/navigator.asp?Daily=TOIM&showST=true

AAI chief sore over defence land issue

2010-02-07T21:15:00.000-08:00

AAI chief sore over defence land issue

CHENNAI: Even as rest of the Chennai Airport sees a facelift, the issue of the defence land in which a part of the terminal expansion plan is based, remains unsettled for more than six months now.

Airports Authority of India’s chairman V P Agrawal who was in the city on Saturday showed exasperation as he revealed that the issue of defence land takeover remained unresolved. “I just want to tell them t don’t block my project. We’ve created infrastructure for them and still they refuse to budge from their stand. They (defence people) have already demonstrated that they are a stronger force. I accept that they are the big boss but why stop my work (airport expansion project)?

AAI had entered the defence property next to the international terminal in February 2009 for putting up structures there. The defence authorities had earlier agreed to the AAI proposal to construct a new communication building for the defence with signal transmitters in return for the existing structure at Pallavaram. While AAI kept its part of the deal and finished the work by May 2009, defence personnel stopped construction on the site.

“The home minister has spoken to the defence minister and the latter agreed. Even the state chief minister has taken up the matter but nothing has happened so far. I have given them ten times more than what they are giving us for expansion but they want the moon,’’ Agrawal said.

http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/story.aspx?Title=AAI+chief+sore+over+defence+land+issue&artid=dsIc18WJ/5E=&SectionID=lifojHIWDUU=&MainSectionID=lifojHIWDUU=&SEO=&SectionName=rSY%7C6QYp3kQ=

No Greenfield airport in chennai, Message in Dinamalar_29_11_2009

2009-12-01T02:13:00.001-08:00

http://epaper.dinamalar.com/DM/DINAMALAR/2009/11/29/INDEX.SHTML

Airport expansion, greenfield to be delayed

2009-12-01T01:56:00.000-08:00

Airport expansion, greenfield to be delayed

The ongoing expansion of existing airport and the proposed second airport at Sriperumbudur may get delayed if Airports Authority of India (AAI) is not able to eliminate the bottlenecks the projects face.

The existing airport's development will be hit if defence authorities did not vacate the 19-acre land adjacent to the international terminal immediately while tardiness of International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) in completing a techno-economic feasibity study is delaying the Sriperumbudur airport.

Confirming the fears, AAI chairman VP Agrawal said that AAI may not be able to complete the project on time if the defence land is not held up. "We are planning to take up the issue with the defence secretary," he said. Though the land was formally handed over to AAI in July, defence authorities are refusing to vacate a transmitter building located in it. AAI has also built a RS 3-crore transmitter station at an alternative site.

"The ongoing expansion works (building two new passenger terminals, a flyover in front of the terminals, extending the secondary runway and building a bridge across Adyar river to extend the runway) are progressing at a rapid pace and could be completed next year. But, delay in getting the defence land will impact the expansion works," said Agrawal after inaugurating a 303-metre walkalator that connects domestic and international terminals at Chennai airport on Friday. The walkalator built at a cost of Rs 12 crore helps passengers to access aero bridges of both the terminals.

Agrawal said that the financial condition of AAI would not impact the ongoing airport expansion works at Kolkata and Chennai. "As tax-free bonds are not coming from the government, we may borrow from the market. This comes at a lower interest rate. So, the projects may not be affected. But, we have deferred long-term borrowing" he said.

The proposed second airport project on 4,820.66 acres at Sriperumbudur also may get delayed considerably because International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) is going slow on the techno-economic feasibility study. "AAI has paid an advance amount to the organisation to start the study. But, they have not done much. So, we have written to the secretary general of the organisation." Agrawal said.

The study has already been delayed by almost a year because AAI did not pay the advance to ICAO. The organisation was supposed to submit its report in June this year. However, this is going to be delayed further.

AAI could decide the fate of the proposed parallel runway only after getting ICAO report on Sriperumbudur airport, he said.

AAI has put the parallel runway project on hold till the ICAO report is released.

Agrawal said that installation of a new radar would be carried out by the end of March 2010. "The airport will get two radar. One will soon be installed at Porur. Works on the building are going on," he said.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/Airport-expansion-greenfield-to-be-delayed/articleshow/5277076.cms

New GreenField in Sriperumudur_Message in Dinamalar_06_11_09

2009-11-08T20:32:00.001-08:00

EVP Township present status

2009-10-23T22:42:00.000-07:00

EVP Town Present Status-OCTOBER 2009

2009-10-19T08:57:00.000-07:00

Soon, social audit of SEZs in State

2009-09-29T03:57:00.000-07:00

‘Soon, social audit of SEZs in State’

CHENNAI: Social activist Medha Patkar termed the SEZ (Special Economic Zone) Act as the special exploitation act, during her visit to Chennai, on Thursday. She announced that as a mark of people’s protest against this kind of land grab displacement, National Alliance of People’s Movement, an umbrella organisation of several like-minded NGOs, will conduct a people’s social audit in Tamil Nadu from October 23 to 26 on various SEZ projects.

She told reporters, “The exploitation and the displacement happening under this land grab is unprecedented. In the past five years, this kind of displacement has increased 10 times. In Tamil Nadu, out of the 69 SEZs, 49 were notified, but no rehabilitation package has reached people.”

“We have conducted a similar audit in Maharashtra. In Tamil Nadu, teams consisting of sociologists, economists, social workers and media personalities, will visit the SEZ sites and access the impact on the local community in terms of social, economic, political and ecological aspects. Based on the findings, they will present a report to all the ministries concerned and exert pressure on them to act,” she said and added that the government has to chalk out development plans in such a way that they could minimise the displacement.

On airport secondary runway displacement, the activist said she is not against the airports, but questioned why the Airport Authority of India should be extravagant in setting up additional lights for the runway, which would displace 5000 families at Kollapakkam.

“For this project, the government plans to acquire 40 more acres besides the 1,060 acres. Instead, it can go for a simple airport, which will serve the purpose,” she said.

“Though under the SEZ Act, agriculture, pisiculture and horticulture were classified as industries, what is the need for destroying agricultural land, resulting in a food crisis? Tamil Nadu Government is only looking at post-modern development.”

The various stakeholders, who had lost their lands due to SEZ projects and airport expansion plan, represented their cases. She also presented an inaugural address at the Madras Christian College at their national conference of human rights and the marginalised.

http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/story.aspx?Title=%E2%80%98Soon,+social+audit+of+SEZs+in+State%E2%80%99&artid=xespQMzHecg=&SectionID=lifojHIWDUU=&MainSectionID=lifojHIWDUU=&SEO=&SectionName=rSY%7C6QYp3kQ=

Message in Dinamani

2009-08-31T20:24:00.000-07:00

http://www.dinamani.com/edition/story.aspx?SectionName=Kanchipuram&artid=116401&SectionID=103&MainSectionID=95&SEO=&Title=கொளப்பாக்கம்+நிலஎடுப்பு:+அதிமுக+ஆர்ப்பாட்டம்

AIADMK Protest

2009-08-31T20:21:00.000-07:00

http://epaper.dinamalar.com/DM/DINAMALAR/2009/09/01/ArticleHtmls/01_09_2009_151_009.shtml?Mode=1

AIADMK plans demonstration

2009-08-30T23:51:00.000-07:00

AIADMK plans demonstration :

CHENNAI: The AIADMK will hold a demonstration on September 1 on Gandhi Road in Kancheepuram against the State government acquiring land at Kolappakam for airport expansion. AIADMK MP P. Venugopal, Kancheepuram west district secretary K. Hari and other senior leaders will participate.

In a statement issued here, party general secretary Jayalalithaa said that without exploring the other options, the government acquired 190 acres inhabited by the poor. — Special Correspondent

http://www.hindu.com/2009/08/31/stories/2009083154420400.htm

Jayalalithaa opposes land acquisition for airport expansion

2009-08-30T20:28:00.000-07:00

Jayalalithaa opposes land acquisition for airport expansion

Sat, Aug 29 06:31 PM
Chennai, Aug 29 (IANS) Tamil Nadu's former chief minister J. Jayalalitha Saturday criticised the move to acquire 35 acres of land for expanding the Chennai airport.

'(Chief Minister M.) Karunanidhi came to power promising two-acre land for landless people. Now poor people are losing their land and homes on the pretext of acquisition,' the AIADMK general secretary said in a statement.

According to her, the government is in the process of acquiring 1,070 acres in Kanchipuram district near here for expanding the Chennai airport.

The government has handed over some portion of the acquired land to the Airports Authority of India (AAI) and a second runway has been constructed on it.The AAI wants an additional 35.40 acres to have lighting facilities for the second runway and has placed a request to the state government.

'The government, without looking at alternative measures, is bent upon acquiring the land on which more than 10,000 people have been living,' she said.

She said the government and AAI should look at alternative routes for fixing the lighting structures for the second runway.

http://in.news.yahoo.com/43/20090829/836/tbs-jayalalithaa-opposes-land-acquisitio.html

http://www.samaylive.com/news/jayalalithaa-opposes-land-acquisition-for-airport-expansion/652193.html

AIADMK TO PROTEST AGAINST CHENNAI AIRPORT EXPANSION

2009-08-29T04:58:00.000-07:00

http://www.maalaimalar.com/2009/08/29140724/CNI0340290809.html

Secondary runway at Chennai airport to be closed for 45 days

2009-08-25T20:47:00.000-07:00

Secondary runway at Chennai airport to be closed for 45 days

The secondary runway at the Chennai airport will be closed for 45 days from September 16 for taking up the link taxiway construction work.The Airports Authority of India (AAI) proposes to construct three link taxiways connecting the primary runway and the secondary runway.
For this work, the main runway was closed from July 1 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. in order to accommodate all the wide-bodied aircraft to wind up their operations.

With the completion of the work on the primary runway it has been decided to take up the work on the secondary runway.Now the authorities will take up the construction of small link taxiway.
With the completion of work at the primary runway, it will be available for operations, say the AAI authorities.

The AAI also plans to take up the regular maintenance work of the primary runway.
For this work, it will be closed between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. During that period the secondary runway will be made available for the landing and take off of aircraft.As the aircraft movement is not heavy between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. it has been decided to close the main runway during the period for maintenance work.

Cleaning the rubber deposits, maintenance of runway lighting system and painting of centre and edge lines are important maintenance works for which the runway will be closed, say the authorities. The AAI has also proposed to close down the secondary runway completely from January next year to take up grade correction work, say the AAI authorities. They say that by January construction of a bridge, for a distance of about 400 metres, across the Adyar river is expected to be completed. After that the grade correction work has to be taken up from the existing secondary runway to the newly created one.

http://beta.thehindu.com/news/cities/Chennai/article8641.ece

EVP Township photos as on August 2009-

2009-08-25T20:38:00.000-07:00

Dream Houses in EVP Township Tharapakkam- Covered with trees....

2009-08-25T20:36:00.000-07:00

EVP Township Tharapakkam Present Status- 2 yrs Gone......

2009-08-25T20:32:00.000-07:00

Residents oppose expansion

2009-08-25T20:28:00.000-07:00

Residents oppose expansion

Chennai, Aug. 25: Nearly 5,000 residents from Kolapakkam are preparing for a major protest against the government move to acquire 35 acres of land for the airport expansion project. According to government officials, the mapping of the required area is completed and the government is yet to take a decision on the issue.

The additional requirement of 35 acres will be used to install approach lights at the head of the runway as part of the airport expansion project.

According to villagers, they received the information through media and later district revenue officials clarified about the land acquisition project. “About 326 families in Kolapakkam village will be directly affected by the project. Most residents are living here for over a century and a majority of them are farmers or daily workers,” said a resident. At the same time, Kolapakkam village welfare association has received assurance from the state labour welfare minister that he would fight against the project. “He promised that he will save the village from the project,” said a member of the association.

But government sources report that the AAI had sent the request to state chief secretary and the state would start issuing the notices to villagers in another three months.

http://www.deccanchronicle.com/chennai/residents-oppose-expansion-660

EVP Township present status...

2009-08-25T01:44:00.000-07:00

Present Status of EVP Township....

2009-08-24T03:26:00.000-07:00

AAI seeks more land for secondary runway

2009-08-17T20:16:00.000-07:00

AAI seeks more land for secondary runway

V Ayyappan TNN

Chennai: Construction of the Chennai airport’s secondary runway across the Adyar River is progressing fast and the Airports Authority of India (AAI) has requested the state government for 35 acres of additional land to install approach lights at the head of the runway.

The residents of nearby Kolapakkam, fearing their houses will be acquired, are preparing to oppose this move. The state government had handed over about 136 acres of land to the AAI and work on extending the secondary runway began.

“The state government has started the survey of the area to acquire it without disturbing residential areas. The airport will require a vertical stretch of land because the lights need to be installed at the head of the runway,” said airport director K Natarajan.

The land requirement would fall under the purview of the early allocation of land made by the government, he added. But, “this time we need only a vertical stretch,” Natarajan said.

Meanwhile, at a panchayat meeting, the residents of Kollapakkam village decided to start protests. “If the 35-40 acres are acquired the village will go. Around 300 residents may lose their houses,” said a resident. The government seems to be looking at acquiring the land without affecting the people,” a government official said.

Work on extending the 2,035-metre secondary runway by 1,400 metres is expected to be completed by next year. AAI officials expressed confidence that they could manage to use the runway without approach lights also if there was increased threshold at the end of the runway.

ayyappan .v @timesgroup .com

http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Daily/skins/TOINEW/navigator.asp?Daily=TOICH&showST=true&login=default&pub=TOI&AW=1250565426203

AAI needs 40 acres more for Secondary Runway expansion

2009-08-13T20:43:00.000-07:00

Message in Dinamalar

Second airport proposal for Chennai gaining momentum

2009-08-02T23:03:00.000-07:00

Second airport proposal for Chennai gaining momentum
A. Srivathsan and P.Oppili

State government renews interest in Sriperumbudur project

CHENNAI: The proposal for a greenfield airport at Sriperumbudur is gaining momentum following Airports Authority of India (AAI) Chairman V.P. Agrawal’s announcement putting on hold the construction of a parallel runway at the Chennai airport.

The State government has started showing renewed interest in building a new airport near Sriperumbudur.

An earlier proposal by the State government had identified nearly 4,500 acres, spread over 42 villages in Tiruvallur and Kancheepuram districts, for the second airport. Villages identified
Government sources say Kiloy, Siru Kiloy, Mambakkam and Vadamangalam in the

Sriperumbudur block in Kancheepuram district and Thiruppandhiyur, Kottaiyur and Vayalur in the Kadambathur block in Tiruvallur district are some of the villages identified for acquiring land for the project.

The AAI Chairman had also pointed out that according to an internal study taken up by them, Sriperumbudur was an ideal location for a second airport.The State government was thinking on the same lines, which would fulfil the need for a bigger airport for Chennai.

Kancheepuram district Revenue officials are preparing a detailed project report for acquiring 40 acres for the secondary runway expansion project. This would be contiguous to the already acquired 129 acres, which had been handed over to the AAI.

The additional area would be used for constructing perimeter fencing and lighting around that area, say Revenue officials. The acquisition process is expected to begin in about three months, the Revenue officials add.

http://www.hindu.com/2009/07/31/stories/2009073160850500.htm

NOC issued to construct bridge across Adyar river

2009-07-27T20:13:00.000-07:00

NOC issued to construct bridge across Adyar river
T. Ramakrishnan and P. Oppili

CHENNAI: The State government has issued a “no-objection certificate” for constructing a bridge across the Adyar river as part of the Chennai airport’s secondary runway extension project.

An order, issued by the Public Works Department last week, said that the Airports Authority of India should reimburse Rs.3.522 crore which was incurred by the PWD towards the construction of a check-dam at Manapakkam across the river. To enable the formation of the bridge, it had been decided to convert the check-dam into a bed-dam with a height of 0.30 metres. This was to support groundwater sustainability in the area.

The need for the government’s NOC arose because the recently constructed Manapakkam check-dam had to be disturbed if the bridge had to come up. As the check-dam would totally come under the operation area of the Airports Authority of India (AAI) after the bridge construction, it would be difficult for the PWD to operate the sluice valves of the check-dam and clear silt periodically. In May, the Authority’s General Manager informed the government that the AAI’s Board agreed to remit the cost of construction of the check-dam.

The government order of July 21, 2009 laid down several conditions to be fulfilled by the AAI.

The Authority should deploy flood safety mechanism on either side of the proposed bridge to ensure free flow of flood water. Soon after the construction of the bridge for the secondary runway and parallel runway across the river, the Authority should take care of the periodical maintenance including the desilting work within in its boundary. Otherwise it should remit the cost to the PWD for undertaking the annual maintenance works.

The Authority should provide adequate flood protection walls on either side of the river at places where the river was proposed to be covered for the project. The flood protection wall on the river’s left bank should be constructed along the river meandering portion for a minimum clear waterway of 130 metres. The Authority should also construct retaining walls on either side of the river front, both upstream and downstream, to avoid inundation.

The PWD authorities would have the right to enter into airport area to inspect the Adyar river at any time and the works suggested by PWD should be carried out by the Authority, the order said.

http://www.hindu.com/2009/07/28/stories/2009072857700200.htm

Times of India 25_07_2009

2009-07-26T20:22:00.000-07:00

Parallel runway project put on hold

Greenfield Airport More Suitable But We Haven’t Shelved Project: AAI

V Ayyappan TNN

Chennai: The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has decided to put on hold the construction of the parallel runway project at Anna International Airport in Chennai as the state government has once again expressed keenness in establishing another airport at Sriperumbudur.

“We are putting the parallel runway project on hold because the (proposal for a) second airport at Sriperumbudur looks more apt and the state government has also agreed to give land for it. But we are not shelving the project,” AAI chairman V P Agrawal said after a meeting with Tamil Nadu chief secretary K S Sripathy here on Friday.

The construction of a second airport at Sriperumbudur would negate the requirement for a second runway at the Chennai airport, which currently faces an instructural crunch given the increase in frequency of flights.

A final decision on whether to build a parallel runway for the existing airport would be taken only after “we get to know the final report of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) on the feasibility of the second airport,” Agrawal added. ICAO has not yet started a survey of the location at Sriperumbudur because the AAI has not paid Rs 5 crore for the study.

The ICAO is the international body tasked with the role of studying flight paths in order to verify the feasibility of the location. The AAI chief said a clear picture would emerge after some months based on the ICAO’s study. “We were looking for state government support. Now, they have told us to fund the study.

So, an agreement for the eight-month study will be signed very soon. We will get a preliminary report four months after the study is commissioned. Therefore, the construction of the parallel runway will depend on the ICAO study and also on the final decision of the state government to acquire land,” he added.

According to Agrawal, steps were being taken to improve facilities at Madurai, Coimbatore, Tiruchi and Tuticorin airports and also improve air traffic management facilities at Chennai airport. “Air Traffic Control automation will be done in seven to eight months so that it will improve safety and ease work for the traffic controllers. Raytheon USA has emerged the lowest bidder in the tender process for the project.

We will be having a modern Auto Track III system which is there only in Delhi. The Chennai airport will also get two new radars and six bidders have qualified in the tender process. Price bid for that will be opened in 15 days. Once an agency is finalised the radars are expected in eight months,” he said.

On the national level, the AAI has signed an agreement with Federal Aviation Administration to prepare tender documents to facilitate better air traffic flow management so that Indian air space is better utilised. “Currently, we share the air space with defence who hold control over 35 % of Indian air space,” he added.

http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Daily/Skins/TOI/navigator.asp?Daily=TOIM&showST=true

Express Buzz_25_07_2009

2009-07-26T20:20:00.000-07:00

Parallel runway project put on hold:

CHENNAI: “Plans for a new parallel runway at the Chennai Airport have been put on hold as the Tamil Nadu government is keen on the new airport in Sriperumbudur,” Airports Authority of India chairman VP Agrawal said on Friday.

He said the government was looking at better opportunities for the new airport. “We have conducted a small feasibility study from our side mainly to understand if making the runway there is feasible as that will be the most basic function. While our studies have shown positive results, yet another has to be commissioned by the International Civil Aviation Organization,” he added.

AAI chairman had earlier said that the feasibility study had already been given to ICAO which was due to give its reply by July. Clarifying that ICAO had not started the study yet, Agrawal said that AAI would sign an agreement with ICAO for taking up the study, sometime next week.
ATC AUTOMATION: Agrawal also highlighted plans for Air Traffic Control automation.
Work would be taken up with immediate affect at the cost of Rs.40 crores. New radars would be acquired within eight months.

http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/story.aspx?Title=Parallel+runway+proposal+on+hold&artid=LGyoFNlJTNo=&SectionID=vBlkz7JCFvA=&MainSectionID=b7ziAYMenjw=&SectionName=EL7znOtxBM3qzgMyXZKtxw==&SEO=VP%20Agrawal,%20ICAO,%20AAI

Residents seethe as AAI delays feasibility study for new airport

2009-07-26T20:14:00.000-07:00

Residents seethe as AAI delays feasibility study for new airport

V Ayyappan TNN Chennai: Uncertainty continues for residents whose property is stuck in the airport expansion tangle as the Airports Authority of India (AAI) is hesitant about dropping the proposed parallel runway project for the existing airport. The AAI has also delayed a planned International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) study on the feasibility of a second airport at Sriperumbudur by over eight months.

For over 2,000 families in Manapakkam, Gerugambakkam, Kolapakkam, Tarapakkam and Kovur, a nod for the greenfield airport (now called a second airport because the state government wants two functioning airports) means their land — otherwise marked for acquisition for expansion of the existing airport — would be saved. But residents are furious that the AAI hasn’t started the study yet.

“All along we assumed the ICAO study was on and the report on the new airport will come at any time. Now, AAI’s declaration that the study is yet to start is a shock,” said G Mohan Kumar, who has bought a house in EVP Township in Tarapakkam.

“Ninety per cent of my house was completed when the state government marked the land for acquisition two years ago. But the bank is putting pressure on us to pay up the instalments,” said Somasekharan, another resident.

“All of us recently sent over 800 telegrams to the state government and asked for an appointment to meet the chief minister. But we have got no response,” he added.

The residents, who were on the verge of launching a massive protest to get their land denotified, had remained quiet because the AAI had promised that they would ask ICAO to do a feasibility study for Sriperumbudur airport eight months ago.

But the study did not start because “ICAO is asking huge money to start the survey. But we will be signing an agreement with them very soon,” said AAI chairman V P Agrawal. If the organisation had started its study as planned, the final report would have been ready last month.

“Though AAI has studied the location and found that an airport can be constructed in Sriperumbudur, ICAO should study the location because it is less than 150 km from the existing Chennai airport,” said a senior AAI official.

http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/Scripting/ArticleWin.asp?From=Archive&Source=Page&Skin=TOINEW&BaseHref=TOICH/2009/07/27&PageLabel=5&EntityId=Ar00503&ViewMode=HTML&GZ=T

Plea to denotify airport project

2009-07-26T20:12:00.000-07:00

Chennai, July 25: As the Airports Authority of India’s (AAI’s) decision to shelve the parallel runway project gives a little relief for residents, thousands of families affected by the project from the Manapakkam, Kollapa-kkam, Gerugambakkam and Tharapakkam (EVP Town) areas are still waiting for de-notification of the project.

As part of the major Chennai airport expansion project, the state government has notified 939 acres in the area for AAI to construct a parallel runway. But the project got delayed for more than a year due to various reasons.

“Though residents are happy with the AAI decision to hold up the project, still we are demanding the de-notification of the parallel runway project and the government should go for a second airport project at Sriperumbudur,” said Brindha Brighton, secretary of the United People’s Forum for Survival, a forum of 5,000 people going to be affected by the Chennai airport expansion project.

“Earlier, the state chief secretary had assured the completion of feasibility study of the second airport coordinated by International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) by July 2009. But AAI is yet to start its preliminary work. We demand the commissioning and completion of the study as early as possible and also thousands of families in our area expect a favourable decision from state government by de-notifying the project,” she added.

The project would take away 947 dwelling houses, 250 semi-constructed houses, 2,000 approved plots, an international school with 2,000 students, more than 500 acres of agricultural land and several small-scale industries. Besides, environmentalists point to major threats to the ecology and chances of flooding. Environmentalist and researcher Nityanand Jayaraman said AAI’s decision would give temporary relief to the residents, and added that the project that affects the lives of thousands of people should be de-notified.

http://www.deccanchronicle.com/chennai/plea-denotify-airport-project-138

Message in Dinamani_26_07_09

2009-07-26T20:07:00.001-07:00

Airport expansion work on defence land stopped

2009-07-22T20:34:00.000-07:00

Airport expansion work on defence land stopped

P. Oppili

CHENNAI: Expansion work at the Chennai airport on land in the possession of the Defence Ministry was stopped last week by the Defence authorities.

A board put up at the site said: “This is Defence Land. All construction activity be halted henceforth till further notice.”

Airports Authority of India officials said that following a meeting with the Chief Secretary, the AAI had entered the 2.99 acres of defence land, part of a 19.24-acre parcel of defence property, in February this year for construction activities. The defence authorities had agreed to the AAI proposal to construct a new building for the defence instead of the existing structure at Pallavaram. Already, the AAI had completed the construction of the new technical office complex and erected signal transmitters on the land by May. The defence authorities had visited the new building, expressed their satisfaction and commended the AAI for completing the work in record time.

Following this, the AAI had approached the defence authorities to take over the building with proper inventory.

The defence authorities had informally allowed the AAI to start the earthwork and clear the bushes on the site, measuring 16.25 acres. However, on July 17 a section of defence authorities entered the project site (measuring 16.25 acres area) with armed personnel and stopped construction at the site. The AAI authorities have sent a letter to the State government stating that the stoppage of work “would adversely affect” the ongoing mega expansion project. They also requested the government to invite the defence authorities to attend a review meeting to be chaired by the Chief Secretary in which the AAI Chairman is expected to participate, an officer added.

The AAI officer said that at the meeting in February the local defence authorities had agreed to permit the AAI to start civil works relating to the international terminal expansion, and this fact had been recorded in the minutes of the meeting.

http://www.hindu.com/2009/07/23/stories/2009072355320600.htm

Secondary Runway work Extension in Progress

2009-07-19T23:45:00.000-07:00

Message in Dinamalar_ 20-Jul-2009

Fear of losing land to airport expansion makes residents pray for greenfield one

2009-07-12T21:05:00.000-07:00

Fear of losing land to airport expansion makes residents pray for greenfield one

V Ayyappan TNN Chennai: The Airports Authority of India (AAI) is not the only one on tenterhooks over the delay by the International Civil Aviation Organisation in submitting a feasibility report for the proposed greenfield airport at Sriperumbudur.

About 2,000 families too are keeping their fingers crossed. The ICAO was to submit the techno-feasibility report last month. For families in Manapakkam, Gerugambakkam, Kolapakkam and Kovur a nod for the greenfield airport means that their lands — otherwise marked for acquisition for expansion of the existing airport — would be saved.

The state government had earlier hinted that it would like to go ahead with the greenfield airport on 4,820.66 acres, because it found it difficult to acquire land northwest of the Adyar for building the parallel runway. While it would be tough to acquire even 300 acres, getting the earmarked 993 acres would cost more than Rs 2,000 crore.

So, the government wanted to acquire land for the new airport rather than expanding the existing one. A senior AAI official said “The ICAO report is yet to come.”

Though earlier studies showed that Sriperumbudur was suitable for construction of an airport, the government was keen on having the ICAO carry out a techno-economic feasibility study and also determine whether the airport could be operated simultaneously with the existing one.

The state government has decided to wait for the ICAO report before taking further steps to acquire the 993 acres to build the proposed parallel runway for the existing airport.

Airport director K Natarajan said, “Nothing has been decided about the greenfield airport. But the Indian Oil Corporation has anyway laid the jet fuel pipeline so that fuel can be supplied to the new airport when it is constructed.”

Meanwhile, residents have started demanding denotification of their lands. “Recent developments show that the government is keen to build a new airport. So it should not hold on to our land,” said Karthik, who had purchased land in the neighbourhood just before the government spelt out its acquisition plans.

“We have decided to send telegrams to the chief minister,” he said.

A senior Kancheepuram district administration official said they had not received intimation from the government to denotify the land marked for acquisition.

ayyappan .v @timesgroup .com
DECIDING FACTOR: The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) is yet to submit its feasibility report for the greenfield airport at Sriperumbudur

http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/Client.asp?showST=true&login=default&Enter=true&Skin=TOINEW&GZ=T&Daily=TOICH&AW=1247455487781

2009-07-10T01:52:00.000-07:00

http://www.dinamani.com/edition/story.aspx?SectionName=Chennai&artid=86169&SectionID=97&MainSectionID=95&SEO=&Title=சென்னை+விமான+நிலைய+விரிவாக்க+விவகாரம்:+இணை+ஓடுதளம்+அமைக்கும்+திட்டம்+ரத்தாகிறதா?

Telegram to Dy.CM on 09-07-2009

2009-07-06T01:22:00.000-07:00

All people of Manpakkam, Kollpakkam, Tharapakkam and Gerugambakkam are planning to send Mass Telegram to Dy.CM Mr. Stalin on 09-July-2009 demanding to denotify G.0 Ms.108 dated 09-july-2007.

Telegram Message:

"Sir, we had been facing land acquisition issue for the past 3 years. Thanks for dropping parallel runway in Chennai airport, please de-notify G.O Ms.108, Dated 09-10-2007(Transport Dept), Hope to hear good news from our Dy.CM"

Thiru M.K. Stalin,
Deputy Chief Minister ,
Deputy Chief Minister's Office,
Secretariat, Chennai 600 009.

Primary Runway closed for Maintance for 4 months

2009-07-01T20:55:00.001-07:00

www.dinamalar.com

Kancheepuram collector

2009-06-30T01:56:00.001-07:00

Kancheepuram

Name :Thiru. Santosh K Misra IAS
Address : District Collector, Collectorate
Kancheepuram District
631501
Phone : O : 044-27237433, 27238478, 27237102
Email : collrkpm@tn.nic.in
Fax :
ISDN for VC : 044-27260503

http://tnmaps.tn.nic.in/district.php?dcode=03

Mass Telegram to DY CM on 09-July-2009

2009-06-28T21:59:00.000-07:00

All affected people of Tharapakkam(EVP Town),Manapakkam,Gerugambakkam are planned to sent Mass Telegrams to Dy CM Mr.Stalin to denotify our land..................on 09-Jul-09

Message in Dinamani_25_06_09

2009-06-24T22:07:00.001-07:00

Policy notes of Transport Department 2009-2010

2009-06-24T22:01:00.001-07:00

http://www.tn.gov.in/policynotes/pdf/transport.pdf

Message in Malaimalar_24_06_09......

2009-06-24T21:58:00.001-07:00

Govt to mull IPO for Air India: Patel

2009-06-09T20:26:00.000-07:00

Govt to mull IPO for Air India :Patel

New Delhi, June 01: Government will consider bringing out an Initial Public Offer to infuse funds in Air India, but the exercise will not dilute the carrier's public sector character, Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel said on Monday.

Taking charge of the Ministry for the second consecutive term of five years, he also made it clear that there would be no further privatisation of airports in the country, although the private sector could invest in this infrastructure area through the greenfield route.

With airlines in India accounting for almost one-third of global industry losses, Patel cautioned the cash-strapped industry against going for "reckless expansion and avoid financial misadventure in these testing times." Air India had earlier proposed to the government for additional equity infusion of Rs 1,231 crore and a soft loan worth Rs 2,750 crore. On infusion of funds in the national carrier to cover its ambitious fleet expansion programme, he said depending on the stock market situation, "the IPO for Air India will be considered.

But the airline will not lose its public sector character and it will not be privatised." He gave the examples of SBI, LIC, ONGC and IOC which have gone in for equity infusion without losing their state-owned character, but declined to give a time-frame for issuance of the IPO.Air India, which has placed orders for 111 new planes worth over Rs 45,000 crore, currently has a paid-up capital of Rs 1,450 crore with an authorised capital of Rs 1,500 crore. Its total losses for FY'09 are estimated around Rs 4,000 crore, up from Rs 2,226 crore in the previous year.

The unfavourable debt-equity ratio forced Air India, which was earlier merged with sister carrier Indian Airlines, to seek urgent infusion of funds. Patel, however, said the idea of IPO was "one area of intent ... it will bring in much-needed liquidity infusion and also accountability" to the airline. "We will try to get AI the money from the government that has been promised, but I can't speak on behalf of the Finance Ministry and neither can I comment on the (impending) Budget," he said in reply to a spate of questions. Regarding upgradation and modernisation of airport and related infrastructure, the Minister made it clear that no more existing airports, operated by the Airports Authority of India, would be divested or privatised.

"We are not going to go for any more disinvestment or take the PPP (private-public partnership) route for any more airports." Noting that AAI was already developing two major airports of Kolkata and Chennai, he said, "We want to let AAI have a good level-playing field. They are also developing major airports at Amritsar and Ahmedabad, besides the non-metro airports."

http://www.zeenews.com/news535821.html

Secondary runway expansion work in progress........

2009-06-09T01:35:00.000-07:00

Message in Dinamani_09_06_2009

2009-06-08T23:58:00.001-07:00

Message in Dinamalar....

2009-06-08T21:09:00.001-07:00

Shortage of CISF personnel hits security at city airport

2009-06-08T20:49:00.000-07:00

Shortage of CISF personnel hits security at city airport

CHENNAI: Chennai airport has been identified as one of the most sensitive airports in India. While security agencies and government have been making claims about security arrangements being in place to ward off possible threats, CISF personnel deployed at Chennai airport are struggling to meet demands and working under tremendous presssure.

More than 40% of positions in CISF has remained vacant the past three years. The CISF contingent at Chennai airport has a sanctioned strength of 1,000 personnel, but only around 600 personnel are on duty currently. "We are forced to work continuously 12 hours a day. When voices are made about an administrative lapse, we were threatened and told that since we are a paramilitary force, we are supposed to work like this. Even those in the army do not work like we do - continuously for many hours - unless there is a war or insurgency. Overworking has been routine for us the past three years," a CISF staff member told The Times Of India.

Apart from overwork, CISF personnel are also deprived of leave. According to sources, whenever they apply for leave, applications are turned down, citing short of personnel, sources said. The prolonged stress and mental agony has resulted in CISF personnel on duty at the airport tending to be lethargic and, often, highly irritable. "Passengers are the victims. CISF personnel choose to vent their frustration on passengers during security check. They fail to be cordial.

No amount of courtesy and behaviour training will bring change unless the working hours of the personnel are regulated," a CISF oficial said. Though government is aware of the shortage of personnel, very little had been done to address the issue. "As far as manpower allocation is concerned, Chennai airport is the worst in the country. Shortage of manpower is pardonable for few months. But shortage three years means official apathy," the official added.

Airport sources agreed that shortage of CISF men was affecting proper security at the airport. "Vital points are secured always. However, they have to reduce strength at security check points. The problems are evident when you monitor the airport security," an airport official said. A senior CISF official in Chennai admitted that there was acute shortage of CISF personnel in Chennai airport.

"We had done a survey again, taking into account the enormous increase in flight operation over the past few years and the airport expansion. We are going to get one more terminal. So we had sent a proposal for allocation of additional strength. The proposal is pending with the ministry of home affairs for more than a year. The reason for the delay is not known to us," the official pointed out. The proposal had requested an allocation of around 1,200 CISF personnel for Chennai airport.

raveen.kumar8@timesgroup.com

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Cities/Shortage-of-CISF-personnel-hits-security-at-city-airport/articleshow/4625964.cms

City sees dip in international air traffic

2009-06-08T20:48:00.000-07:00

City sees dip in international air traffic

CHENNAI: Summer holidays and reduced fares have failed to boost international air passenger traffic in April, which has dipped by 4% compared to the corresponding period last year. Airport officials have reasons to fear that the numbers might go down further in the coming months.

Domestic passenger traffic decreased by 15% while the number of departing passengers alone dipped by 18% in April 2009, compared to the period last year. Consequently, several of the private commercial establishments have notified that they would be closing down their shops in the international and domestic terminals. International passenger departures dipped by 8% while domestic passenger departures came down by 18% in April. "

Departing passengers bring business for shops inside the airport. As footfalls dropped, many of the licensees have intimated that they will be withdrawing from the airport," said an airport official. The shops that will be closing down include a handicraft store, jewellery and a recently-opened lounge. "May is going to be worse. Airlines were hoping that holidays will draw passengers, but that has not happened.

The H1N1 flu threat seems to have added to the woes," the official said. Airlines are also not starting new services or increasing frequencies of existing services. International passenger traffic has been showing a decline month-on-month since December 2008, but it registered an overall increase of 7% last year. However, international aircraft movement has increased by 8%.

In a bid to boost passenger traffic, international airlines like Singapore Airlines, Emirates and Lufthansa have been offering attractive fares. When domestic airfares skyrocketed last year, travellers chose to fly abroad. International passenger traffic went up in spite of a decline in the total number of passengers who flew in and out of Chennai airport from April 2008 to March 2009.

Industry experts say that a combination of factors including aggressive promotion by foreign tourism boards and cheaper international airfares helped boost international passenger traffic then. "A couple of airlines started services to new sectors, like Kingfisher Airlines to Colombo, while other increased their frequencies to high-yield routes when routes were rationalised following recession," an AAI official said.

Chennai airport saw a 7% increase in international passenger traffic from 34.1 lakh passengers in 2007-08 to 36.63 lakh in 2008-09 even as domestic passenger traffic declined 15% from 72.47 lakh in 2007-08 to 61.79 lakh last year, according to the statistics compiled by AAI. All that appears to have come to a halt.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Chennai/City-sees-dip-in-international-air-traffic/articleshow/4623112.cms

Govt spells out powers of DyCM Stalin

2009-06-08T01:44:00.000-07:00

Govt spells out powers of DyCM Stalin

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai: Soon after MK Stalin was made deputy chief minister, the government has spelt out the scope of his powers. They include vital issues affecting peace and tranquillity in the state and promotions and posting of district judges.

In a standing order issued on June 2, the government made it clear that “cases which affect or are likely to affect the peace and tranquillity of the state or any part there of ” would be looked into by the deputy chief minister. His duties include sanctioning proposals for appointments, postings and promotions of district judges including additional district judges, joint district judges, chief judges, civil court judges, chief metropolitan magistrates, service judges and additional service judges as well as “important changes in the strength or distribution of any police force.”

Stalin’s key functions include proposals for “the making or amendment of any rules, regulations or orders relating to any police force” and posting in the cadre of DSP. The deputy CM’s powers would also extend to all cases in which “it is proposed to deviate from the advice tendered by the state public service commission.”

Other appointments and postings in which Stalin would have a say include that of additional secretaries, joint secretaries, and deputy secretaries to the government and government pleaders, government prosecutors and additional public prosecutors besides other subordinate legal officials of the Madras high court. He will also have a say in cases in which land acquisition proceedings are proposed to be dropped.

AAI earmarks Rs 3,000 crore for development of airports across India

2009-06-04T20:20:00.000-07:00

AAI earmarks Rs 3,000 crore for development of airports across India

By TBM Staff Mumbai

The Airport Authority of India (AAI) has earmarked Rs 3,000 crore for undertaking various developmental works in different airports across the country during 2009-2010, according to D Devaraj, Regional Executive Director (Southern Region), AAI.

According to a UNI report, while talking to media persons after the launching operations of the new two-storeyed Integrated Terminal Building at Tiruchirapalli Airport, which is constructed as per international standards at a cost of Rs 80 crore, Devaraj said the terminal with a capacity to handle 400 passengers at a time has two aerobridges.Devaraj said of the Rs 3,000 crore outlay, Rs 2,000 crore was for carrying out developmental works at Chennai Airport.

The ongoing work at Chennai Airport included expansion of the secondary runway across the Adyar River. The work is expected to be completed by end of next year or early 2011.

Apart from this, Rs 125 crore had been sanctioned for undertaking developmental work at Madurai Airport, Rs 90 crore and 70 crore for Mangalore and Coimbatore Airports respectively. Work on these airports has already commenced. Replying to a question, he said a decision on user charges to be collected from airlines for Common User Terminal Equipment (CUTE) was yet to be finalised.

The possibility for utilising the existing terminal building for cargo operations will also be explored. He said a private airline had approached AAI for its nod to operate flights between Chennai and Salem and a final decision on this was yet to be taken.

S Sreekumar, Director, Tiruchirapalli Airport said it recorded 4.6 lakh passenger arrivals and departures during 2008-09, registering 18 per cent growth. District Collector T Soundiah, who was present said, AAI had sought 430 acres for expansion of the runway to 12,500 feet from the present 8,000 feet. The required land will be acquired and handed over to the AAI within six months.

http://www.travelbizmonitor.com/aai-earmarks-rs-3000-crore-for-development-of-airports-across-india-6755

Work in Progress.........

2009-06-03T20:15:00.000-07:00

Voltas bags orders worth Rs3bn

2009-06-01T05:09:00.000-07:00

Voltas bags orders worth Rs3bn

Voltas' electro-mechancial business has secured two orders worth Rs3bn for electro-mechanical projects for the most prestigious and noteworthy 'new generation' airports in India, namely Kolkata's Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International (NSCBI) airport, and Chennai International airport.

At the new Integrated Passenger Terminal of Kolkata's international airport, Voltas will undertake HVAC, internal electrification, and plumbing & drainage system works, to be completed in 24 months.

NSCBI airport, once completed will be the nation's third largest (after Mumbai and Delhi), built to handle a load of 20 million passengers annually. The challenge is to keep airport operations flowing smoothly while activating new facilities part by part, and simultaneously reconstructing existing buildings.

The Chennai project is for airport expansion, in which Voltas' scope of work includes HVAC, fire protection and internal electrification systems, to be completed in 21 months.

Voltas first proved itself in India's airport sector with Hyderabad's Rajiv Gandhi International Airport. Executed in 30 months, the project is distinguished by world-class installations for HVAC, internal electrification, plumbing and drainage, and a slew of utilities and low-voltage systems, from fire alarm to building management systems. It also earned the distinction of being the world's second and Asia's first airport to be awarded the LEED certification by the US Green Building Council.

The Hyderabad job showcased the capabilities Voltas had already shown in projects executed in more than 30 countries over the last three-and-a-half decades; the record includes the new Hong Kong International Airport at Chep Lak Kok, Bahrain International Airport, and Al Ain International Airport among others.

http://www.indiainfoline.com/news/innernews.asp?storyId=103349&lmn=1

Bhoomi Pooja Function for Secondary Runway Extension

2009-05-29T04:02:00.000-07:00

Upgrade of Kolkata, Chennai airports to cost Rs 1,000 cr more

2009-05-21T23:43:00.000-07:00

NEW DELHI: Modernisation of Chennai and Kolkata airports is expected to cost an additional Rs 1,000 crore over and above the original estimate of Rs 3,750 crore.

"The original estimates have increased and the modernisation of both the airports
is expected to cost about Rs 2,300 crore each," Planning Commission sources told PTI, adding, the issue came up during a meeting to review the implementation of the decisions of high-powered Committee on Infrastructure, which is headed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

Modernisation of the two airport projects was approved by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) in August 2008 at a cost of over Rs 3,750 crore and the work was to be completed within three years. Although the projects are likely to cost more, the work is likely to be completed within stipulated time, the official said without specifying the reasons for the cost escalation.

The Airport Authority of India (AAI), which is implementing the projects, has informed the CoI that work has started on modernisation of the two airports. After completion of the projects, the two airports will be at par with those at Delhi and Mumbai. Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel had approval of the modernisation schemes.

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/News/News-By-Industry/Upgrade-of-Kolkata-Chennai-airports-to-cost-Rs-1000-cr-more/articleshow/4561090.cms

Nearly 100 people use option 49(0), don't vote for anybody

2009-05-14T20:30:00.000-07:00

Nearly 100 people use option 49(0), don't vote for anybody

Nearly 100 people 'affected' by the land acquisition made for expansion of the Chennai airport today recorded their protest by making use of a relevant section in the election procedure 49(0) — not casting vote for any particular candidate — during the Lok Sabha elections held here today.

S Karthikeyan, a resident of Tharapakkam, one of the areas which has been earmarked for land acquisition for the project, told PTI that he and the other protesters preferred not to vote "to express anger against the government."

Tharapakkam comes under Sriperumbudur Lok Sabha constituency, where Union Minister T R Baalu is contesting from.

"About 100 affected persons went to the respective booths and signed the Form 17-A (to declare the intention not to vote)," Kartikeyan, spokesperson for the umbrella organisation 'United Forum for People's Survival' said. Under section 49-O, the voter can record his decision not to vote, for which Form 17-A is made available

http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/nearly-100-people-use-option-490-don%5Ct-vote-for-anybody/61447/on

Another high: 10,000 cast no-vote

2009-05-13T20:16:00.000-07:00

Another high: 10,000 cast no-vote

Despite Training, Polling Officers Caught Unawares On Rule 49(O) Procedures
TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:More than 10,000 people in the city opted for Rule 49(O), which allows the voter to mark his presence at the polling booth, but not cast his vote for any candidate. However, in many cases election officers were caught unawares.

Despite the election department’s claims of having conducted training for polling officers, many of them had no clue about the option. A few officials who knew that it existed, however, were not familiar with the right procedure to be followed. Corporation commissioner and district electoral officer Rajesh Lakhoni admitted that the turnout was unexpectedly big.

V Gopalakrishnan, a social activist, was the first at the MGR Corporation School in Chennai South constituency to ask for the Rule 49 (O) option. “The polling officer at booth 136 was totally blank. Then he asked me to ‘vote for some candidate and leave’. When I insisted on entering my refusal to vote in the 17A register, he called the zonal officer, who was equally ignorant. Finally, I called the district electoral officer and, after 90 minutes of struggle, got it done,” said Gopalakrishnan.

Dr S Murugasundaram, a dermatologist and a voter of ward 70 of Kilpauk in Chennai Central, had a similar experience when he went to vote at 8am. “The officer was rude when told about 49(O). He asked me not to create a ruckus and leave the place. However, I stood my ground and registered my refusal to vote,” he said. Several people complained of policemen threatening them when they refused to leave the polling booths without registering their names under Rule 49(O) to prevent bogus voting in their names.

V Anandarajan of Nanganallur, which falls under the Sriperumbudur constituency, found the exercise smoother, but the officer there refused to apply indelible ink on his finger though the rule specifies that ink should be marked on the voter’s finger. All this, despite posters in front of polling booths mentioning the rule and the procedure being explained in the polling officer’s handbook (page 39). According to Gopalakrishnan, what compounded the confusion was the use of the Tamil word ‘padivam’ (form) to describe 17A instead of ‘padivedu’ (register) under rule 49(O). Voters insisted on a form, while all they had to do was to sign in the register which others did, too, and mention in the remarks column ‘refuse to vote’. Admitting there was widespread confusion, corporation commissioner and district electoral officer Rajesh Lakhoni said an unexpectedly large number of people opted for rule 49 (O). “Some officials may not have taken the training seriously and nobody anticipated such a large number of people choosing the option,” he said.

In Sriperumbudur constituency, residents affected by the expansion of Chennai airport had pledged to exercise the ‘no vote’ option to express displeasure at the indifference shown by political parties to their plight. But only 60 exercised it at different polling booths in Manapakkam, Gerugambakkam, Kolapakkam, Kovur and Tarapakkam in the constituency.

The rest of them chose to boycott the polls, frightened of being harassed by agents of political parties. Brinda Brighton, an office bearer of the United Peoples’ Forum for Survival, formed by affected residents, said: “People are now afraid of local agents of political parties.

There is no privacy in exercising the ‘no vote’ option because we have to ask the presiding officer for form 17A and we are identified by party agents. At least in the next polls, the Election Commission should make it possible for people to exercise the option on the EVMs.”

CASTING THEIR DISPLEASURE More than 10,000 people in the city opted for Rule 49(O), which allows the voter to mark his presence at the booth but not cast his vote for any candidate Despite the election department’s claims of having conducted training for polling officers, many of them had no clue about the option.

Though residents affected by the expansion of Chennai airport had pledged to exercise the no-vote option to express displeasure at the indifference shown by political parties to their plight, only 60 exercised the right

http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Daily/skins/TOINEW/navigator.asp?Daily=TOICH&showST=true&login=default

Message in Dinamani

2009-05-11T20:33:00.000-07:00

http://www.dinamani.com/edition/story.aspx?Title=விமானநிலைய+விரிவாக்கத்தை+எதிர்த்து+தேர்தலைப்+புறக்கணிக்க+முடிவு&artid=5idKlA6uYA8=&SectionID=imfUnjkeA1o=&MainSectionID=1cjn2aDoBOM=&SectionName=rSY6QYp3kQ=&SEO=

Airport expansion victims to cast zero votes

2009-05-11T20:26:00.000-07:00

CHENNAI: The words of T R Baalu was all it took for those affected by the airport expansion plan in Sriperumbudur constituency to decide on Zero voting during the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.

On Monday, the affected residents of Manapakkam, Kolapakkam, Geragambakkam and Tarapakkam met Baalu to discuss their predicament, but the response from the Union Minister for Shipping, Road Transport and Highways was, “Airport expansion is in national interest, for which one has to make sacrifices.” He even went on to cite how he had given up his own land in Thanjavur for the sake of national interest.

The Airport Authority of India had notified 939 acres for a parallel runway.

“This would result in the eviction of 947 dwelling houses, 250 semi constructed houses, 2,000 approved plots, 14 brick kilns, an international school with 2,000 students, 15 small scale industries, 500 acres of agricultural land, livelihood of 25,000 people and last but not the least, the lives of 500,000 people,” said Brindha, a resident of this area and the leader of the resident’s movement to protect their lands, under the banner ‘United People Forum for Survival’.

http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/story.aspx?Title=Airport+expansion+victims+to+cast+zero+votes&artid=q/O/Ao/OkA8=&SectionID=lifojHIWDUU=&MainSectionID=fyV9T2jIa4A=&SectionName=rSY%7C6QYp3kQ=&SEO=Sriperumbudur%20constituency,T%20R%20Baalu

Airport expansion: No vote

2009-05-11T20:20:00.000-07:00

Airport expansion: No vote

Chennai: The United Peoples’ Forum for Survival is a forum formed by the people affected by the Chennai airport expansion project, has decided to boycott the general elections if no political party comes forward to give an assurance to de-notify the project.

The forum coordinated by the affected residents of Manapakkam, Gerugumpakkam, Kolapakkam, Tharapakkam and Kovur have also stated that they would support any party that will promise the de-notification.

The forum demanded immediate de-notification of the acquisition plan of excess 939 acres of land, which was allotted for the parallel runway.

When Airport Authority of India considers Greenfield Airport to be more advisable, why should they proceed with the land acquisition which affects the livelihood of more than a lakh of people.

http://www.deccanchronicle.com/chennai/aiadmk-reaches-out-students-722

Residents affected by airport expansion to boycott elections

2009-05-11T20:12:00.000-07:00

MAKING A STAND: A file picture showing social activist Medha Patkar with residents protesting in Manapakkam

Residents affected by airport expansion to boycott elections

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai: Irked by political indifference to their demands, residents of Manapakkam, Gerugambakkam, Kolapakkam, Tarapakkam and Kovur have decided to either boycott the polls or exercise the right ‘not to vote’ under Rule 49 (O) of the Conduct of Election Rules.

These villages, which house about 2,500 families and 5,000 voters, come under the Sriperumbudur constituency and the land here has been marked for acquisition to construct a parallel runway for the airport.

“We will not support any political party unless political parties give an undertaking that they will de-notify the 939 acres of land marked for acquisition,” said representatives of the United Peoples’ Forum for Survival, formed by residents whose land has been notified for acquisition for more than a year.

At a press conference, Brinda Brighton, an office-bearer of the forum, said “we have been raising this demand for a while, but none of the candidates has made any commitment to save us. This has not figured as an issue in the campaigning also. So, residents and their well wishers will also boycott the polls.”

In addition to the 130 acres of land handed over for extending the secondary runway, the state government has notified around 939 acres of land in these villages for constructing a parallel runway. However, the state government had not only failed to acquire the land for over a year, but also had kept the residents in the dark about the status of the move.

“We want the government to go ahead with the Greenfield airport instead of spending huge money to build a parallel runway. The runway will take away 947 houses, 250 semi-constructed houses, 2,000 approved plots, 14 brick kilns, an international school with 2,000 students, 15 small-scale industries, and 500 acres of agriculture land,” Brighton said.

Recently, residents brought social activist Medha Patkar and staged a protest meet at Manapakkam urging the government to de-notify the land marked for acquisition and demanding the government to go ahead with the Greenfield airport.

timeschennai @timesgroup .com

Airport runway expansion by May-end

2009-05-10T22:31:00.000-07:00

Airport runway expansion by May-end

CHENNAI: A final word on the runway expansions at Chenai airport would emerge by the end of May after a meeting scheduled in Delhi this month. This was stated by the Airports Authority of India Chairman, V P Agarwal, who was on an inspection visit to Chennai on Saturday.

The expansion and renovation plans of the main and secondary runways with appended link and taxiways that was to begin in the first week of April had been stalled owing to approval delays on the project by the airport authorities in Delhi after a representation was made by the airline operators on the non-viability of the project in the face of losses that they are already facing.
“There was only a coordination issue on the project with the airlines which will most probably be sorted out by the end of this month and we will have a decision then,” he said. On queries related to the radar failure, Agarwal agreed that a new radar was long overdue.

“Chennai will have two new radars, which have already been tendered for and will now be recalled. One radar will be installed by the end of 2009 and the other one will come in a phased manner,” Agarwal said.

A total modernisation of the ATC tower is also in the offing where more automated processes will be brought in at a cost of Rs 140 crore on lines of what is available in Delhi and Mumbai.

Greenfield airport decision awaits ICAO report:

On being queried on the greenfield airport, Agarwal said that they were awaiting a detailed report, which was likely to be ready in the next two months, and if everything went well, the airport would come up in a joint venture with TIDCO if there was no scope for a parallel runway at the existing airport.

“If a greenfield airport comes, it’ll take care of requirements of passengers for the next 30 years and if everything goes well for that project it can be done within three years in the Sriperumbudur area. In that case, we don’t have to look at the high investments in procuring land for the parallel runway at the existing airport,” he said.

Comments

Now that the Chairman of AAI has agreed in public that the Green field Airport is the right alternative than going for the parallel runway, let's hope the government to will take immediate steps and de-notify the areas already notified for Parallel runway which will enable the residents there to continue with their normal life and re-start the construction activities stalled for 2 years. This decision to do away with the parallel runway saves a lot of public money from being wasted and greenfield airport is the only futuristic decision chennai needs.
By S Brighton 5/10/2009 11:23:00 PM

It makes sense for AAI to go for new greenfield airport with futuristic approach than try to expand the run, giving hardships thru land acquisition. Though Sriperumpudur would also witness similar land acquisition (it isn't really practical, otherwise), impact on land owners and environment will be significantly less. I hope AAI initiate new greenfield airport project ASAP, to realize the airport up and running by 2014.
By ramki 5/10/2009 7:01:00 PM

Absolutely now that AAI realised the realty, and hope they would stall the land acquisition programme on it's surroundings, thus, heaving a sigh of relief to the residents there instead. On the other hand, AAI should start implementing the new greenfield airport at Sriperumpudur at the earliest possible, in order to meet the requirements for the next 30 years or so.
By Jeeva 5/10/2009 1:16:00 PM

http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/story.aspx?Title=Airport+runway+expansion+by+May-end&artid=yFryHP1U6GY=&SectionID=lifojHIWDUU=&MainSectionID=XT7e3Zkr/lw=&SectionName=rSY%7C6QYp3kQ=&SEO=Airports%20Authority%20of%20India%20Chairman,%20V%20P%20Agarwal

Construction activity at airport creates dust pollution, lowers visibility

2009-04-12T20:35:00.000-07:00

Construction activity at airport creates dust pollution, lowers visibility
There is a flurry of activity in Chennai airport's backyard across the Adyar river where work is on to extend the secondary runway. A pall of dust hangs in the air as hundreds of trucks dump soil and earth movers level the barren tract of land. All this is preliminary work in the laying of taxiways and the construction of an apron and other facilities.

The pall of dust is creating problems, not only for aircraft operations but also for residents in neighbouring Manapakkam, Tarapakkam and Porur who are trying to battle pollution. Although the impact of dust on aircraft and on the airport itself has not been studied yet, experts say that too much of dust near the runway is not a good thing because it affects visibility. Already, a combination of dust and high humidity has been creating early morning fog, bringing down visibility levels considerably. "Instances of low visibility at the airport have been increasing over the years, from less than 5 days in a year the 1970s to more than 20 days now.

The dust and pollution caused by the emergence of residential neighbourhoods is one of the reasons. Our staff assessing visibility has reported the sudden formation of fog in the hours before dawn," says an official of the airport meteorological department. "There is also a brick kiln that could be raising dust. We are planning to investigate," he adds. In the past few weeks, visibility has dipped dramatically from 4,000 metres, reducing to 40 metres on March 6.

Chennai airport does not have a Runway Visual Range (RVR) instrument, which makes matters worse. "Air-side vehicles coming close to the aircraft also cause trouble and can be considered one of the reasons for technical snags," says a directorate general of civil aviation official. However, TIFAC CORE (expansion??) director of Hindustan University N S Venkatraman says that dust is not a major irritant for aircraft although it affects visibility drastically.

Says retired pilot Captain A Ranganathan: "Dust normally causes minimal problems to aircraft. Dust settling on aircraft causes extra drag and leads to high fuel use." He adds that if the electronics bay is kept open for a long time during or after maintenance, it will cause electronics failure. "The Amsterdam crash happened after the radio altimeter failed, probably because of dust infiltration. But I have not seen such systems failing in India because of dust-related problems. Runways often have rubber and oil deposits. So, if dust settles on the runway, even a slight drizzle makes it slippery. Unless the airport removes rubber deposit frequently, safety will be compromised.

" An aircraft engineer says that maintenance should be time-bound and carried out for all aircraft. "There is a maintenance time frame for each part, including hydraulic systems and fluid checks. The deadlines must be kept." An Airports Authority of India official says that dust-control measures such as sprinkling of water is on. "We are bringing partially wet soil for laying the secondary runway so that not much of dust is kicked off," he said.

The Met department at the airport does not have access to pollution statistics produced and monitored by the Central Pollution Control Board. "If we have access to the data we can forecast dip in visibility," the official said. An International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) document says that non-airport related activities such as road vehicles accessing the airport and operating near roadways, air-side vehicles, as well as the geographical area are relevant to assessment under the national regulatory scheme.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Chennai/Construction-activity-at-airport-creates-dust-pollution-lowers-visibility/articleshow/4363400.cms

Work on airport expansion chokes traffic

2009-04-12T20:34:00.000-07:00

Work on airport expansion chokes traffic

CHENNAI: A huge row of taxis on the left of the road that leads to the international arrival and departure terminals at the Chennai Airport, is choking traffic in the area.

With the domestic arrival now being shifted to the new international terminal, the movement of traffic at the airport seems to have shifted to one side of the airport. While the increase in passenger movement has resulted in frequent vehicle pile ups in the region, the row of taxis has only compounded the chaos. The domestic arrival was shifted to the international terminal because of expansion work that is taking place on the domestic side of the airport.

The airport closed the access roads outside the terminal to vehicular traffic, after a series of hoax bomb terror threats. As a result, vehicles coming to the airport are now re-routed through the first parking lane outside both terminals. Not only is that affecting the vehicular flow, it is also causing long traffic jams. However, there are no easy solutions, according to a senior official.

The traffic jams are “a minor inconvenience” that the passengers have to put up with for as long as work on the terminal expansion continues.

http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/story.aspx?Title=Work+on+airport+expansion+chokes+traffic&artid=cx0AoBFkX6M=&SectionID=vBlkz7JCFvA=&MainSectionID=fyV9T2jIa4A=&SectionName=EL7znOtxBM3qzgMyXZKtxw==&SEO=

Expansion of city airport runway put on hold

2009-04-06T23:38:00.000-07:00

Expansion of city airport runway put on hold

First Published : 01 Apr 2009 01:45:00 AM IST
Last Updated : 01 Apr 2009 08:39:11 AM IST

CHENNAI: The expansion and renovation plans for the main and secondary runway at Chennai airport, with appended link and taxiways that was to begin in the first week of April have been postponed due to approval delays by airport authorities in Delhi.

On March 16, The New Indian Express reported on the proposed expansion that would go on for four months.

The Airports Authority of India had decided to close the main runway and secondary runway alternatively, between April and July, owing to runway expansion work. The main runway 07/25, was to be closed to accommodate linkways and taxiways work that was to commence at the beginning of April.

Following this, airline operators in Chennai had reportedly made a representation at the central level stating that the project was not viable owing to huge penalties on their load factor and the new summer schedules that were planned in coordination with all agencies.
Following this, the project was postponed until further discussions with the AAI chairman.
Senior AAI officials in Chennai told The New Indian Express that work on the project would begin once the planning authorities in New Delhi gave the necessary approval. From then on a NOTAM-notice to airmen has to be served at least one week prior to the beginning of this expansion.

AIRLINES’ TAKE

Operators suggest taking up extension of the secondary runway first to increase its length from 2,205m to 3,235m to facilitate take-off and landing without compromising on the load an aircraft can carry. The initial project plan had no timelines on expansion of the secondary runway.

http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/story.aspx?Title=Expansion+of+city+airport+runway+put+on+hold&artid=mNZvzshuXtM=&SectionID=lifojHIWDUU=&MainSectionID=wIcBMLGbUJI=&SectionName=rSY%7C6QYp3kQ=&SEO=

Broom with a view awaits leadersSangeetha Neeraja

2009-04-06T22:37:00.000-07:00

Broom with a view awaits leadersSangeetha Neeraja
Sangeetha Neeraja

First Published : 07 Apr 2009 02:34:00 AM IST
Last Updated : 07 Apr 2009 08:11:17 AM IST

CHENNAI: Unoin Minister T R Baalu better watch out.

Residents of Lakshmi Nagar, who have received notices for land acquisition, are readying broomsticks to be hung from doorways to welcome politicians visiting them to seek votes.

The not-so-affluent residents of Lakshmi Nagar near the airport had bought land in instalments with their hard earned money.

Most of them, Dalits from villages around Chennai, had been daily wage earners and had moved into the locality that now falls under the Sriperumbudur constituency to lead a better life.
But in December 2007, under 3(2) section of the Tamil Nadu Land Acquisition for Industrial Purpose Act, 1997, the government served notices to acquire their land for a parallel runway to the existing primary runway.

“We didn’t rob anybody. We worked hard day in and day out and bought this land. If they knew about this expansion plan, why did they give patta to our land? If anybody comes to ask for votes, our broomsticks will speak,” said a visibly agitated Nagamma. Seconding her, other women chorused,

“We are planning to hang broomsticks in front of our houses to welcome the
visiting politicians.”

http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/story.aspx?title=Broom%20with%20a%20view%20awaits%20leadersSangeetha%20Neeraja&artid=ILkRiQCPFKw=&type=

DMK to face fire over airport extension plan

2009-04-06T20:50:00.000-07:00

DMK to face fire over airport extension plan :

CHENNAI: The new settlers in Manapakkam, Kolapakkam, Geragambakkam and Tarapakkam in Sriperumbudur constituency are set to vote against the DMK. All are victims of the airport extension plan and they say their vote will go to the person who gives them a written assurance about denotification of their lands which were notified to be acquired for the parallel runway to be added to the existing primary runway. Under section 3(2) of the Tamil Nadu Land Acquisition for Industrial Purpose Act, 1997, the people were served notices that their land would be acquired. Under this expansion plan, 1069.99 acres of land were to be acquired for the parallel runway expansion. Because of this expansion, 947 dwelling houses, 20 small industries and one school will be levelled down.

“This is a draconian law. Under this act, the government does not need to give a specific time period, but can serve a notice and acquire the land when they choose to do it. But we, the people, are living in eternal anxiety of not knowing when our homes will be taken away from us,” said Brindha, a resident of this area and the leader of the resident’s movement to protect their lands under the banner ‘United People Forum for Survival’.

After the government started issuing notices from December 2007, the banks had stopped funding for the people who had taken home loans in this area and the houses remain incomplete. One such case is Macro Marvel, a new colony that came up behind the airport, and is full of retired people.

“We have invested all our life savings in this house. If the government demolishes our homes we do not know where to go. After the government served the notices, we have completely lost our peace. Many of us had developed sugar, BP. We are living in an eternal state of anxiety,” said Prema, wife of a retired army colonel.

In EVP Town, a new township, the construction was stopped after the government issued notification. Hundreds of people who had invested lakhs of rupees are at their wits end with the project coming to a standstill. So far 2500 people were served notices in this expansion plan.

“No feasibility report and no environmental clearances were taken. This parallel runway will come in between Poorur Lake and Adyar River and 2500 acres around this region are flood plains during the rainy season. This 15 km wall, to be constructed across the parallel runway, will cause havoc during the rainy season, causing floods in this region. Even in 2008 during the November-December rains, major flooding happened in this region,” said Brindha.

Kovur farmers object to relocation plan

The villagers of Kovur, a Mudaliyar dominated agricultural village, are set to vote against the DMK government, which plans to plunder their rightful agricultural lands.
Kovur, a quaint village in Sriperembudur that had for long run itself as an agricultural economy, is now getting a new identity as a dump yard for people displaced by the airport extension programme. This rehabilitation comes at a cost. To resettle the displaced, the government is acquiring 56 acres of agricultural lands under cultivation. There are 2000 people who are dependent on these lands for their livelihood.

Chidambaram, an agriculturist who owns 4 acres of land, which has been notified by the government to be acquired, said, “After the government notified the lands the banks have stopped giving agricultural loans. Sixty percent of the people have stopped cultivating the lands. We are buying rice from the shops. What kind of government is this, which takes away what rightfully belongs to the people? We are not going to give up this fight. These are the lands of our ancestors and nobody is going to take it away from us.”

These villagers were served notice in December 2007 and many had stopped cultivating because of a lack of funds from the banks. The lands are lying fallow in spite of there being plenty of water for irrigation. Ganasekaran another villager said, “ the government is creating an artificial famine in our place by creating a situation where we are forced not to cultivate.”

http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/story.aspx?Title=DMK+to+face+fire+over+airport+extension+plan&artid=vHLb9k288Hg=&SectionID=vBlkz7JCFvA=&MainSectionID=fyV9T2jIa4A=&SectionName=EL7znOtxBM3qzgMyXZKtxw==&SEO=Sriperumbudur%20constituency

AIRPORT RUNWAYS TO BE LINKED

2009-03-18T20:33:00.000-07:00

Interlinking To Help Clear Taxiways Faster And Prevent Hold-Up Of Flights In Air
TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai: The Airports Authority of India (AAI) is planning three linkways connecting the main and secondary runways and the introduction of more parking bays for efficient handling of aircraft. The works are expected to start in April. The proposed linkways and parking bays are part of the ongoing airport expansion project and will be taken up in three phases over the next four months. Sixty-seven parking bays, between the main and secondary runways, are planned. These are expected to help the airport in better onground and on-air handling of aircraft when cross-runway operations are introduced after the secondary runway is extended across the Adyar river next year.

The three linkways will be connected to the main runway at three places — near the cargo terminal where the secondary runway and the main one intersect, near the delta taxiway, and near the echo taxiway that is almost in the middle of the runway. These linkways have been planned with a dual purpose — faster vacation of runway after landing and to facilitate future cross-runway operations. “The works will start next month at the intersecting point. The linkways will be built in phases so that a large part of the main runway can be used for aircraft movement during daytime.

We have decided to restrict use of the runway between 10 am and 5 pm because people will be working 150 metres away from the centre line of the main runway,” said airport director K Natarajan. He said 2,085 metres of the 3,680-metre main runway would be available for use during the construction of the first two linkways. The main runway will be completely shut between 10 am and 5 pm for two months, probably from May, when work on the third linkway is taken up. “The linkways will help a landing aircraft quickly vacate the runway and leave it open for more landings and takeoffs. This will substantially increase the aircraft-handling capacity of the airport in the long run.

These linkways will also act as angular exit taxiways for aircraft landing on the main runway.” A senior official said the network of linkways would also reduce the separation allotted between each aircraft on-air. “Now, we have to allot 16 to 18 miles. This can be reduced to 10 or even five miles if aircraft are able to vacate the runways immediately.”

IN A NUTSHELL Why:

The project is expected to equip the airport carry out better on-ground and on-air handling of aircraft by quickening the time taken by an aircraft to vacate the runway on landing When:

Works will be taken up from April to July 2009 67 parking bays to come up between primary and secondary runways The network of these three linkways will also act as angular exit taxiways for aircraft landing on the main runway Chennai airport handles close to 400 take-offs and landings everyday, of which approximately 192 are take-offs Passenger traffic: 75,000 per day approximately

LINK TO THE FUTURE

The linkways will reduce the separation between two aircraft in air. Instead of 16 to 18 miles, 10 or even five miles of separation will be adequate The linkways have been planned with a dual purpose — faster vacation of runway after landing and to facilitate future cross-runway operations Four international airlines will have to reschedule their daytime operations till the construction work is on The network of linkways will help crossrunway operations after the secondary runway is extended across the Adyar river next year Domestic airlines to have only short-haul flights during period of construction Operation on main runway to be partlyrestricted in April and completely stopped in May and June between 10 am and 5 pm

http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Daily/skins/TOI/navigator.asp?Daily=TOICH&login=default&AW=1237433214203

Work on runway across Adyar takes off

2009-02-17T19:52:00.000-08:00

Work on runway across Adyar takes off

CHENNAI: The city will by next year have something in common with Atlanta, Brooklyn and Madeira Island -- a runway across a river.

A year from now, aircraft using the secondary runway at Chennai airport will make its run for take-off over a bridge across the Adyar river. Airports Authority of India (AAI) has started construction works to extend the 2,035-metre secondary runway by 1,400 metres, including 835 metres on the northern side of the river. AAI is getting technical assistance from IIT-Madras because the river is flood-prone. Mumbai airport has an end of its runway across the Mithi river, but this stretch is used only for taxing.

The existing runway ends on the banks of the river. A bridge, to be designed similar to that of a box culvert, will be constructed across the river and the runway will extend over it towards the north. Land filling and levelling works that started December-end are progressing well to meet the 2010 deadline. The state government has acquired 120 acres and handed over to AAI for the project. The extension of the secondary runway is being carried out at a cost of Rs 430 crore.

The runway works without the bridge will cost Rs 230 crore, while construction cost of the bridge is estimated to cost Rs 200 crore," said a senior AAI official. KGL Constructions has bagged the contract to build the runway excluding the bridge, while a separate contract will be awarded for the bridge construction. "The tender will be awarded very soon," said airport director K Natarajan.

"The extended secondary runway will help us operate one departure for every arrival, which will be highly useful to manage peak hour traffic. The secondary runway intersects the primary runway only at the end portion near the GST Road side of the airport. This leaves the entire runway free for operation. The runway can also be used as a taxiway when a parallel runway is constructed," he added.

An official at the engineering wing said that the runway construction would be completely mechanised. "It will be laid by using a slip form paver' machine, which does the job 10 times faster than conventional construction methods. The machine is capable of laying 1,500 cubic metre space per day," he added. "We have taken all precautions to prevent water from flooding the runway. AAI had been monitoring the flood levels for the last couple of years. The runway level is going to be atleast one-and-a-half metre above the hightest flood level marked during the 2005 rains."

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Chennai/Work_on_runway_across_Adyar_takes_off/articleshow/4044137.cms

Meeting in EVP Town Site on jan-26th-2009

2009-01-23T04:13:00.000-08:00

Dear all,

All EVP Township customers are requested to present in EVP Town Tharapakkam on Jan-26th-2009 around 9.00 A.M.

Need to make our presence in the Tharapakkam gramma panchayat Meeting and sign in the document to show our protest against land acqusition.

Make your presence...............

Army delays handing over land for expansion

2009-01-22T19:26:00.000-08:00

Army delays handing over land for expansion

CHENNAI: The army authorities are delaying the handing over of 20 acres for the expansion of the international departure terminal adjacent to the international departure area of the Chennai airport, according to officials of the Airports Authority of India.

A transmission station of the army is functioning at the place now. Sources in the Airports Authority of India said officials had been in touch with the army for the past 10 years for the transfer of the land.

While taking up the matter with Defence Minister A.K. Antony, the State government explained that the land was crucial for the expansion and for building a flyover, air-conditioning plant and power station.

Following this, the Union Cabinet in July last decided to hand over the land to the AAI on condition that the State government provide an equal value of land to the army; and the AAI bear the entire expense of relocating the army transmitter station, including the tower, to an adjacent land at Pallavaram.

The AAI and the State government agreed to these conditions.
A senior official of the State government said the government had identified 72 acres of its land on East Coast Road near Mahabalipuram. Following the meetings with the Defence Minister, the Ministry issued orders for handing over the land to the AAI, said another AAI official.

several rounds of meeting among the army, the AAI and the State government, the land was yet to the handed over to the AAI.In fact, the AAI had prepared a plan for an alternative site for relocating the transmitter station and submitted it to the army.

While the expansion was in full swing at the domestic terminal, nothing was happening in the international terminal owing to the delay in handing over the land, AAI authorities said.
Officials of the Defence Ministry said the AAI was required to make alternative arrangements for shifting the defence establishment. Then only would the land be handed over to it.

http://www.hindu.com/2009/01/13/stories/2009011354870500.htm

Pollution assessment norms for builders to be changed

2009-01-22T19:18:00.000-08:00

Pollution assessment norms for builders to be changed

New Delhi: The government will soon make key changes in the way companies report the environmental impact of their construction projects.

The Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement on Friday that a draft notification on amendments to the Environmental Impact Asssessment Act, 2006, would be put up soon to invite public comments.

Key modifications proposed include making it mandatory for companies to publicize their environmental clearance, exempting projects that employ non-polluting technologies from environmental impact asssessments (EIA), and fast tracking modernization projects in states that have yet to constitute EIA boards.

If modifications take effect, they will significantly impact the way EIAs are conducted and cleared. ‘Mint’ has previously reported instances of companies presenting shoddy reports, often with glaring instances of plagiarism, as environmental clearances.

Government officials say a growing pile of projects needing clearance, as well as understaffed approval committees, are the main reasons that impede thorough and accurate assessments of reports submitted by companies. ‘Mint’ had also reported last year on the likelihood of amendments to the EIA. “As of now, there are 700 industrial projects waiting to be put on the agenda of the clearance committee. It is a welcome move because infrastructure projects need to be put on the fast track,” said K.P. Nyati, head, environment policy division at industry lobby group Confederation of Indian Industry. “...if the project has already been inspected once, then there is no need to re-scrutinize it.”

Environmentalists say compulsory disclosure of EIA is welcome, but are worried about easing laws for project modernization and expansion.

“This is a critical issue,” said Leo Saldanha, coordinator, Environment Support Group, an activist group.

“The Chennai airport is being modernized and expanded, and there is a lot of protest. The expansion will dislocate a lot of people as well as affect a neighbouring river, which would involve a clearance.”

http://www.livemint.com/2009/01/16233453/Pollution-assessment-norms-for.html

Rope in residents for development: Medha

2009-01-07T02:46:00.000-08:00

Rope in residents for development: Medha

We have been residing at Choolaimedu for the past twenty years. We are clueless why the government, which provided us voter cards, ‘ has failed to provide proper sanitation facility. — Poonguldzhi, Choolaimedu ‘ Though the government had promised to allot houses two years ago, we are still waiting.

We are ready to construct hous- es on our own, but the govern- ‘ ment had instructed us not to build any houses. — Sathya, Sudhadhira NagarDemanding amend ments in the Jawaharlal Nehru national urban renewal mission (JNNURM), social activist Medha Patkar announced that she would produce an alternate draft shortly.

Speaking at the conference organised by the ‘Unorganised Workers Federation’ in the city on Friday, she said, “Every city development plan should be drafted after consulting the people. Due to implementation of coastal projects, fishermen are forced to leave their livelihood and move to far off places unfit for their work.” While companies are allowed to select suitable lands in the city, slum dwellers who settle down on the river banks are termed encroachers. Whenever the poor ask for houses closer to their source of livelihood, their demands are brushed aside, she said.

Ms Patkar said the government perhaps did not want the city to have poor and working class people. She wondered why the government was forcing the poor to migrate to sub urbs and providing land to the corporates. Under the guise of development the government is segregating the people and paving the way for a new kind of communalism, she said. Rather providing tax concessions and other benefits to IT companies and chemical hubs, the government should give concessions to the working class people who really needed them, she said.

Taking part in the protest against the Chennai airport expansion project held at Ramapuram, she said, “The acquisition of 137 acres for the airport expansion in the first phase is sufficient for the parallel runway project. The project will affect more than 10,000 families residing in four villages. If the government is really in need of the land, it should provide rehabilitation without compromising the livelihood of the people.”

http://www.dc-epaper.com/DC/DCC/2009/01/03/ArticleHtmls/03_01_2009_005_001.shtml?Mode=0

Medha makes a difference

2009-01-07T02:43:00.000-08:00

reporter’s diary - Medha makes a difference
BY K. KARTIKEYAN
CHENNAI

Clad in a wrinkled cotton saree, Medha Patkar found a huge following in the north with her down-toearth demeanour when she founded the Narmada Bachao Andolan. She still managed to charm people in the Dravidian heartland of Chennai where she became the torchbearer for what her critics called as ''anti-development demonstration'' against the Chennai airport expansion project.

The residents, whose homes are threatened by the project, rejoiced over her participation and the visibility it has given to their agita tion against their land being acquired for the airport expansion. But Friday's events are also a stark reminder of the fact that the movements mushrooming here under various banners lack a leader of her stature.

Unmindful of the opponents she has been pitted against so far, the 54-yearold Medha Patkar gradually and successfully evolved into a staunch symbol and opponent of state-sponsored land acquisition by corporate giants who under the pretext of development were depriving people of their rights. Starting from the 20-day marathon hungerstrike that she observed in protest against the Sardar Sarovar Dam across the Narmada river in Gujarat and her later intervention in Nandigram and Singur in West Bengal, Ms Patkar has displayed consummate ease in opposing the forced resettlement of the marginalized section, particularly tribes, from their traditional habitats.

Though the stakeholders in Friday’s agitation in Chennai did not appear to be poor, the very idea of displacement or rather resettlement was convincing enough for Ms Patkar to travel down south and be a part of their agitation. It is this mantra - protection of the right to livelihood and proper resettlement - which has attracted people to her cause cutting across economic barriers. This is where other social and rights activists have failed.

There are several activists campaigning against resettlement and land acquisition. But they all lack her perseverance. They are mostly involved in snap hungerstrikes or demonstrations, which the official machinery often ignores. Also these other activists are either pro-rich or pro-poor.

Apparently, they have failed to grasp that resettlement rights are determined not on just economic grounds, a principle which Medha Patkar proved during Friday’s demonstrations.

http://www.dc-epaper.com/DC/DCC/2009/01/03/ArticleHtmls/03_01_2009_004_006.shtml?Mode=0

Medha to protest city airport expansion plan

2009-01-07T02:41:00.000-08:00

Medha to protest city airport expansion plan
CHENNAI

As the central and state governments have turned a deaf ear to their appeals, residents of Manapakkam, Gerugambakkam, Kovur, Kolapakkam and Tharapakkam have garnered the support of social activist and Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA) founder Medha Patkar in their battle against the proposed Chennai airport expansion project for another runway.

Ms Medha Patkar will join thousands of people from these areas who have come under the banner of United People’s Forum for Survival (UPFS) for a demonstration at the Manapakkam-Ramapuram junction on Friday.

“We are hopeful that Medha’s presence will help us meet and explain the prob lem to Tamil Nadu chief minister M Karunanidhi, who has not been accessible for us for a year now,” said Somasekaran, vice-president of UPFS.

Even the Airports Authority of India had expressed disapproval over the plan for the proposed secondary runway, which had not been approved even in principle by the Prime Minister’s Infrastructure Committee, he added.

AAI was content with the expansion of the existing cross runway and future implementation of the greenfield international airport and not the secondary runway, the resi dents claimed. Questioning the need for a secondary runway,

Somasekaran referred to Air Safety Expert retired Captain A Ranganathan's argument that the switch over to satellite based RNP (Required Navigation Performance) was a viable solution instead of the expansion to be carried out at a very high cost and which would lead to these residents losing their homes.

Technological expansion would be sufficient to accommodate 30 million passengers in the future up from the existing 23 million, he argued. The compensation package worth Rs 3,000 crore and the land cost of Rs 1,500 crore could be saved for the Civil Aviation Ministry if the economically and technically unviable secondary runway project was shelved, UPFS secretary Brinda asserted.

http://www.dc-epaper.com/DC/DCC/2009/01/02/ArticleHtmls/02_01_2009_004_011.shtml?Mode=0

Capt. Ranganathan Supporting Chennai airport expansion affected People on 02-Jan-2009

2009-01-06T20:39:00.000-08:00

Medha Patkar Supporting Chennai Airport expansion affected People on 02-Jan-2009 in Chennai

2009-01-06T20:36:00.000-08:00

Medha Patkar Supporting Chennai Airport expansion affected People on 02-Jan-2009 in Chennai

2009-01-06T20:31:00.000-08:00

Patkar joins agitation against Chennai airport expansion

2009-01-04T20:03:00.000-08:00

Patkar joins agitation against Chennai airport expansion

Chennai (PTI): Noted social activist Medha Patkar on Friday joined agitation against the proposed expansion of Chennai airport, asserting that the project had displaced hundreds of people and caused environmental hazards.

Taking part in a demonstration here, she said that the government had 'failed' to assess the environmental impact of the project as it caused flooding from the nearby Adyar river during peak monsoon.

"The expansion is an encroachment on people's land without their consent. It is against the very rules of rehabilitation that are against displacement of anyone in development, emphasised in the National Rehabilitation Policy," she said.

Patkar, who has participated in similar demonstrations in Chennai earlier, demanded that Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi should ask the Airports Authority of India to reconsider the project.

Later, speaking to reporters, Patkar appealed to the state and Centre governments not to displace the poor while implementing urban development plans. She also said that government should consult the poor while formulating urban development programmes. "Currently, no government is doing that," she claimed.

Patkar alleged that a political-corporate nexus was trying to pocket all available land for real estate purposes. "Corporates are urging the government to undertake real estate development for their private agenda," she said.

The project site has already been shifted by the government due to opposition from the locals as well as political parties, including the PMK.

The project was shifted to the present area, comprising 1099 acres on Tharapakkam, Gerugambakkam,Manapakkam and Kolapakkam.

http://www.hindu.com/holnus/004200901030331.htm

Medha Patkar asks govt to drop land acquisition plan

2009-01-04T19:30:00.000-08:00

Medha Patkar asks govt to drop land acquisition plan

CHENNAI: Madha Patkar's arrival in the city provided a boost to residents of Manapakkam, Kolapakkam, Gerugambakkam, Tharapakkam and Kovur who have been opposing government acqusition of land for the proposed Chennai airport expansion.

Patkar has pledged support to hundreds whose lands have been identified for acquisition. After taking part in a protest meet organised by residents at the Manapakkam-Ramapuram junction on Mount Poonamallee Road near MIOT Hospital on Friday, Patkar met Tamil Nadu chief secretary K S Sripathy and urged the government to drop the proposal to acquire land and also to discuss the issue with affected residents.

Earlier, Patkar told media persons that the government and the Airports Authority of India (AAI) should take into account views of residents and that "no plan should be imposed undemocratically on the people." She said that all information pertaining to a project should be put up before the people as there was lack of transparency during the initial stages of infrastructure projects.

She criticised the government move to acquire land even though it could lead to displacement of about 1,000 families, and said that it reflected "ad hoc planning." Patkar pointed out that the National Rehabilitation Policy disapproved of displacement without rehabilitation. "Thousands of people were evicted with the approval of government for projects done on an ad hoc mode across the country," she said.

Promoting projects assuming that traffic would multiply in the future was improper, according to Patkar. She said that the economic slowdown was slowly impacting the country and that only small airports were needed, not grand structures. She referred to the "politician-corporate nexus working in planning grand infrastructure projects."

Residents who took part in the protest reiterated that they were not ready to give up their land because they did not want to be relocated to another place. "All of us have purchased houses by taking loans.

We continue to pay monthly instalments because the state government has not issued the final notice confirming that the identified locations will be taken up for proposed airport expansion work," said a resident.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Chennai/Medha_Patkar_asks_govt_to_drop_land_acquisition_plan/articleshow/3928534.cms

Medha Patkar flays airport expansion

2009-01-04T19:27:00.000-08:00

Medha Patkar flays airport expansion

CHENNAI: Narmada Bachao Andolan leader Medha Patkar on Friday described the airport expansion plan here as “encroachment on people’s land.” Patkar was in the city to participate in a demonstration held by the United People’s Forum for Survival (UPFFS) against the project.
“The airport expansion is encroachment on people’s land without their consent.

It is against the very rules of rehabilitation that are against displacement of anyone in development. The National Rehabilitation Policy emphasis this fact,” she said.
Even though the houses and plots were taken over by the government under the rules, it nevertheless showed ad hoc planning because it failed to take care of the displaced people.

“I know Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel only too well to understand that all this ambitious planning is aimed at corporatisation of the sector,” Patkar said. The government failed to assess the environmental hazards that were bound to crop up because of the parallel runway.

“It is the political-corporate nexus at work, which is not in the best interests of the people.” Patkar urged Chief Minister M Karunanidhi to hold a dialogue with the Airports Authority of India on the issue. It was big corporate houses that would benefit from such projects with bigger profits in their account, she said.

“Today, it is the building of a parallel runway and tomorrow they will want malls right next to that for further development.

Where does that leave the common man?” Recalling the Nagar Raj Bill, Patkar said displacement was being equated with development and the people’s basic needs were being ignored.

http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/story.aspx?Title=Medha+Patkar+flays+airport+expansion&artid=yfytzPVRYOM=&SectionID=lifojHIWDUU=&MainSectionID=lifojHIWDUU=&SEO=metha+patkar,+airport+expansion&SectionName=rSY%7C6QYp3kQ=

Demonstration on 02-01-2009

2008-12-30T01:56:00.000-08:00

Afftected people of Chennai airport expansion plan, Stages a Demonstration on 02-01-2009,Friday in Manapakkam.

Opposite to MIOT Hospital............

Time: 11.00 A.M - 2.00 P.M
Date:02-01-2009
Day: Friday

Medha Patkar will also be present in the Meeting.....

Affected people, please make your presence and we can request government to reconsider the plan.........

State wants stake in exchange for providing land

2008-12-25T19:03:00.000-08:00

CHENNAI: Airport development projects in Tamil Nadu have run into rough weather with the state government declining to give any more free land to the Airports Authority of India (AAI), citing rising land acquisition costs.

Instead, the TN government has proposed turning some of the airports into corporations in which it could take a stake in exchange for providing land. AAI is currently experiencing a drop in air traffic due to the economic slowdown. The slump coupled with privatisation of high revenue-yielding airports at Delhi and Mumbai have eroded the finances of the agency, which depends on fees levied on airlines for its revenue.

Its plans to expand hubs at Coimbatore, Madurai and Tiruchi hinge on acquiring land without incurring high costs. However, in a recent meeting, the state government made it clear to AAI that it would not get land for airport expansion projects free of cost.

"The government has told us that land can be provided free only for the expansion of Chennai airport. It also wants us to prune the requirement of land," said a senior AAI official.

This would impact development work, he said, adding AAI needs close to 900 acres for expanding Coimbatore airport and 616 acres for developing Madurai airport. Sources said the government has suggested that AAI convert each airport into a company and allow them to acquire stakes in it depending on the quantum of land handed over for development. But AAI is against the proposal. State governments have 13% equity share in new airports at Hyderabad and Bangalore. "

The Tamil Nadu government wants AAI to have a similar arrangement for airports in the state without privatising them," an AAI official said. The current stand-off may force AAI to reconsider its options as the agency cannot afford to acquire land on its own. "We lost high revenue-yielding airports of Mumbai and Delhi to private companies.

They paid just an upfront license fee of Rs 150 crore for airports that contributed close to Rs 700 crore from cargo movement alone to the coffers of AAI every year," said a senior AAI official. AAI already has two major projects modernization and expansion of Chennai (Rs 2,000 crore) and Kolkata (Rs 1,800 crore) airports on hand. "These projects will empty out the Rs 3,000 crore cash reserve the AAI has.

The authority is facing a severe cash crunch because decline in air traffic and unpaid air traffic fee by airlines has eaten into the revenue generated by existing airports including Chennai and Kolkata," said an executive director of AAI. "We have had a line-up of airport expansion proposals because air traffic was growing at a healthy 15%.

But now, there is a shocking decline of 20%. This is expected to slow down infrastructure developments," he added.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Chennai/Airport_projects_in_limbo_TN_wants_stakes_in_exchange_for_providing_land/articleshow/3891934.cms

CMDA head calls for arbitrators for land acquisition

2008-12-21T21:07:00.000-08:00

CMDA head calls for arbitrators for land acquisition

CHENNAI: Land acquisition processes, which often run into legal and political hurdles, should be done through arbitrators appointed for the process, and not through government officials, a top CMDA member secretary Vikram Kapur has said.

Speaking at a session on infrastructure at Pan IIT 2008 at IIT-Madras, Kapur said the responsibility of acquiring lands should not be vested with government servants. "The government should appoint arbitrators for acquiring land.

The arbitrators can ensure that the government does not pay too much for the land, while also upholding the real value the land owner should get," he said. The member secretary advocated that the land owners be paid royalty for the land that they give to the government, for any future returns that might be got from the land.

The schedule of rates of the PWD was outdated and not realistic, as it does not factor in inflationary trends. "Because of this, many contractors are not willing to take up projects. Often there is a single bidder or just a few of them," he said. Many state governments have often run into problems during land acquisition.

The Tamil Nadu government's plans to acquire land for the proposed satellite township projects and the airport expansion project have run into problems, with political parties and residents opposing the move. Kapur said that any infrastructure project must be funded through debts than government funds, even if the user charges are high.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Cities/Chennai/CMDA_head_calls_for_arbitrators_for_land_acquisition/articleshow/3864707.cms

Adyar River near Chennai Airport during recent rain.......

2008-12-11T19:30:00.000-08:00

Chennai airport surrounding areas during recent rain...

2008-12-11T19:28:00.000-08:00