Villagers hold demo on airport project, held

Kancheepuram, Jun 4 (UNI) About 1,000 persons belonging to the Kerugambakkam Village in Sriperumbudur Taluk were taken into custody after they attempted to storm the District Collector's office seeking to meet the Collector on the issue of land acquisition for the proposed expansion project of the Chennai Airport.

Police said the villagers wanted to meet District Collector Pradeep Yadav to register protest on acqusition of their land for the project.

When the Collector refused to meet them, they held a road roko.On information, Superintendent of Police A Amalraj rushed to the spot to pacify the agitators.

Later, 15 of the protestors were allowed to meet the Collector who promised to visit the village. Meanwhile, the crowd outside became restless and tried to troop into the Collectorate when they were prevented by the police and taken into custody.

The government has already announced a new greenfield airport which will come up at Sriperumbudur and Tiruvallur Taluks near Chennai, while the existing airport at Meenambakkam would be expanded.

The expansion of the existing airport will be carried out on 1,070 acre spread across Manapakkam, Kolapakkam, Kerugambakkam and Tharapakkam in Sriperumbudur Taluk, the government said and promised to provide suitable compensation to 947 families living in these areas.

UNI