'Realign runway at Parandur to save 800 houses in Yeknapuram'

CHENNAI: The ruling DMK must also convince one of its allies if it were to go ahead with the proposed Greenfield airport at Parandur in Sriperumbudur.

Congress Legislature Party leader K Selvaperunthagai, under whose Sriperumbudur constituency the site of the proposed greenfield airport falls, has sought a realignment of one of the airport runways of the Greenfield airport to save hundreds of houses in a village.

Pointing out that over 4,563 acres of land covering Parandur, Valathur, Kodavur, Nelvai, Yekanapuram, Thandalam, Madhapuram, Singilipadi, Kungaramabakkam, Idayarpakkam, Akkammapuram, Thiaganapuram and Mahadevimangalam villages fall under the site earmarked for the airport project, Selvaperunthagai joined his constituency people and said that Yekanapuram village would be most affected by the airport as nearly 800 houses fall within the earmarked land.

“In other villages, it is mostly cultivable land, but in Yekanapuram, close to 800 houses spread across 867.41 acres will be affected by the project. That is why the residents of Yekanapuram boycotted the meeting in toto,” Selvaperunthagai told DT Next over phone.

“Of the two runways, if one runway alignment is changed a bit, Yekanapuram village could be spared. Realigning the runway would save the houses. Instead, the adjoining cultivable land could be used. I made the representation to Minister Thangam Thennarasu,” he added.

“The techno-feasibility has not been done yet. So, the alignment can definitely be changed. The Minister has responded in the affirmative,” the CLP leader claimed.

Quoting the villagers as arguing that the airport could be developed anywhere, but the cultivable land cannot be developed once lost, the MLA said that the farmers want the government to pay Rs 3 lakh per acre as compensation.

Quoting Chief Minister MK Stalin as assuring him that the government would be liberal and it would not let the project affect the people a great deal, the Congress Legislature Party leader said, “I have requested the people not to be exploited by any political party. I assured them that I will not give up on them. The Chief Minister has also promised all possible support to the people.”