CM Pinarayi Vijayan calls for all-party meet tomorrow on land for airport
The AAI's request for acquiring land for airport expansion was pending with the government for many years.
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will be holding a meeting on Wednesday with leaders of an action council which is protesting against land acquisition for Thiruvananthapuram airport development. An all-party meeting Mr Vijayan convened here on Monday to discuss their objections remained inconclusive as the representatives of various political parties urged the CM to listen to the grievances of the local people.
Sources said the government was of the opinion that airport development could not be stalled and hence the 18.53 acres of land required for expansion need to be acquired at any cost. Representatives of all political parties said that the concerns of the local people need to be addressed before taking it over. The Vallakadavu Vayyammoola Joint Action Council alleges it would severely hit hundreds of families.
They maintain that while acquiring land for construction of the present international terminal at Chakkai, the authorities had assured that no more land would be taken over for airport expansion. Moreover, compensations for earlier acquisitions were not yet settled fully, they allege. The fresh acquisition is for constructing a new domestic terminal on the NH-Bypass side near Chakai. An earlier move by revenue officials faced stiff resistance from local people. The AAI's request for acquiring land for airport expansion was pending with the government for many years.