A disagreement has surfaced regarding the expansion of Coimbatore International Airport in Tamil Nadu. Residents and farmers in Chinniyampalayam and Irugur are opposing the Airports Authority of India’s (AAI) plan to build a perimeter wall along the new approach road to the airport’s upcoming terminal. Landowners, who had previously given up parts of their land for the project, argue that the proposed wall would block access to their remaining properties and agricultural fields, impacting their livelihoods severely.
The controversy revolves around a 1,917-meter-long and 60-meter-wide approach road connecting Avinashi Road to the new terminal. This road traverses RG Pudur, Irugur, and Chinniyampalayam, intersecting a 20-meter-wide local road crucial for accessing residential and agricultural properties in the vicinity. Farmers fear that enclosing the entire road with walls would disconnect them from their lands and nearby routes like Irugur Road.
While landowners support a security wall around the airport, they object to walls along the approach road, which would isolate their remaining lands. The state government’s 2010 order for land acquisition related to the airport did not address ensuring access to lands retained by the original owners. Compensation for acquired land was settled in 2020, but landowners stress that their remaining properties are vital for their livelihoods, and airport security measures could hinder farming and daily life without alternative access routes.
Residents propose that AAI construct 10-meter-wide service roads on both sides of the approach road, similar to the existing airport access road. Some suggest that if access cannot be guaranteed, authorities should acquire their remaining properties. Following objections, AAI officials have paused wall construction and are considering other options. Sulur MLA N.M. Sugumar has intervened, urging AAI to provide service roads for uninterrupted public access, emphasizing the importance of farmers and residents retaining access to their lands.
