Message in THE HINDU on June 3rd

CHENNAI: Expansion work at the Chennai airport will include creation of a parallel runway and two connecting taxi tracks beyond the Adyar river, Airport Director Dinesh Kumar said on Saturday. "Depending upon the extent of land we get, we will decide on adding a few more facilities at the acquired place," Mr. Kumar said. The expansion work would be completed within 18 to 24 months from the date the State Government handed over the acquired land to the Airports Authority of India (AAI). The AAI is awaiting the Board's consent to begin the expansion work. According to AAI sources, any proposal regarding airport development would be sent to the AAI Board for approval. The expansion work would begin only after the AAI authorities received a formal clearance from the Board. As per the procedure, the State Government had surveyed the areas and started the acquisition process. Once the acquisition was over, the lands would be handed over to the AAI for the expansion work, said the sources. On its part, the Kancheepuram district administration has identified the survey numbers in four villages — Kolappakkam, Manappakkam, Tharappakkam and Gerugambakkam. A senior officer said the survey numbers had already been given to the local panchayat officials and that they had been advised to display the same in the villages. As of now, the district administration has completed the survey work and is waiting for the Government to issue an order. The actual acquisition process would begin after this. An AAI source said they would first fence the entire area and reclaim it by filling the place. The AAI would construct box culverts across the Adyar to connect it to the existing airport. The approval from the AAI Board is expected shortly and the works would begin soon after