VIJAYAWADA: The state government is facing a new problem from the farming community, as land acquisition for Vijayawada airport is becoming difficult day-by-day. The issue started when the Airports Authority of India (AAI) had proposed to extend the length of existing runway by 739 metres, which will come to 3,025 metres from 2,286 metres.
Though farmers came forward to give their consent to give away their land to further extend the runway by 900 metres approximately up to Eluru canal, bringing total length to 3,925 metres, AAI’s proposal to extend the runway by around 300 to 400 metres beyond the Eluru canal towards south now became a highly complex issue. In fact, the state government has examined two alternative proposals for diversion of Eluru canal.
In this context, the experts committee has recommended the northern side alignment, which passes through eight villages, and if the same is implemented, the proposed diversion canal divides a few villages on the way, at some stretches. As all those eight villages happen to be very near to Vijayawada city and Gannavaram, the far-ming community is reluctant to surrender their lands under pooling sche-me, according to Tadiga-dapa Veeraiah, a farmer from Gannavaram.
Several farmers of the surrounding villages also have the similar opinion about land pooling. Sharing his views on the issue, former minister Vadde Sobhanadreeswara Rao felt that the necessity for diversion of Eluru canal could be avoided. It is estimated that due to northern side alignment, 423 acres of land has to be acquired, he said, and added that the cost of construction including land acquisition cost might come to nearly Rs 1,000 crore. Following the reluctance from the farmers along the northern side alignment, the former minister has suggested to the state government and the Ministry of Civil Aviation, to examine this alternative northern alignment.
“The AAI has to re-examine the issue,” Mr Sobhanadreeswara Rao observed, and added that the state government also has to give up the measures, which creates problems to the farming community.
