Chennai airport sought more land than required
Chennai
The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has decided to conduct a re-survey of the 15.67 acres of land it wanted the state government to acquire from a neighbourhood in Kolapakkam near Porur. Validating residents’ fears that the AAI is asking for more land than necessary, it has been found that the measurements of a survey carried out last year are wrong.
The airport wanted the land for a flight safety buffer zone for the extended end of the secondary runway. The decision to conduct a re-survey was taken after residents of Maxworth Nagar phase III, whose houses were marked for acquisition, put up a struggle against acquiring the land.
The residents alleged that the airport would not require that much land from their neighbourhood and that the survey was not done professionally.
Anomalies in the survey conducted for marking the land came out during a meeting of residents, senior airport official officials and the district collector that was held at Kancheepuram collectorate on Monday.
AAI officials admitted at the meeting that the survey was conducted by their staff and not by people who have license to conduct land surveys. Hence, the district administration and AAI are planning to conduct a re-survey on July 29.
“We were kept in the dark about the survey which was done in a clandestine way. It was conducted at night under the light of car headlights,” said RJ David, a resident.
“Residents were apprehensive about the survey that was conducted in their locality. So, we have decided to conduct a re-survey. The position of housesin connection with the runway will also be assessed during the resurvey,” said airport director E P Hareendranathan.
Following a request from the district administration, AAI officials took representatives of residents into the airport and explained about the works that were being carriedouttoexpandthesecondary runway.
“Technical details of the expansion and the need for land in that area were explained to the residents,” said Hareendranathan.
According to residents, the airport is looking for an area of 90 metres by 240 metres at the Kolapakkam end of the extended secondary runway. The land will be needed to install runway lights and for the buffer zone at the extended end to meet contingencies if an aircraft overshoots the runway.
http://content.magicbricks.com/chennai-airport-sought-more-land-than-required