Residents of Kolapakkam protested over the speculated land acquisition for airport expansion and that surveys of their area were being done unofficially by the Collector’s office without giving them any notice.

The reason for fresh protests is because eight acres of land, adjacent to the fag end of the expanded secondary runway, belongs to a residents’ association of Maxworth Nagar-III in Kolapakkam where about 45 families from middle income group are now living.

The representative of the residents R. V. Sharma said, “ We have completely lost over the proposed airport expansion as part of which, it was rumored, that our homes were also going to be demolished and this is a reason for great distress as we are afraid as to what will happen now”.

Representation was also made to the Kancheepuram Collector Ashish Chatterjee on the issue. “The AAI was supposed to take some land from the Kolapakkam villages which render 6,000 people homeless. But we have not received any official communication with regard to this and now our property in the eight acres adjacent to the runway is being targeted,” Sharma said.

Airport sources said that the land may be required for a safety zone purpose as it is too close to the runway. “An obstacle survey there has been carried out as the land falls in the aircraft approach funnel while landing. A road should come up where access to fire safety and vehicles is given. In the beginning we required 37 acres but now that figure is being reworked so as to cause least possible displacement of residents but now we estimate that up to 21 acres of land is needed now”, an AAI official said.