PRESS RELEASE

PRESS RELEASE
From

UNITED PEOPLE’S FORUM FOR SURVIVAL(UPFFS)
AFFECTED PEOPLE OF IN THE VILLAGES OF MANAPAKKAM, KOLAPAKKAM, GERUGAMPAKKAM & THARAPAKKAM
Date: 24th December, 2007

Chennai Airport Expansion Programme

About Us

UPFFS is a democratic forum established to safeguard democratic processes and citizens’ rights by the people of Manapakkam, Kolapakkam, Gerugampakkam & Tharapakkam. The forum is non-political, non-profit, secular, non-exclusive and works to support governments in democratic implementation of development plans.

Key Factors

1. The expansion plans for the existing Chennai Airport at Meenampakkam is leading up to an Environmental disaster in the neighbourhood. The surrounding low lying areas will be completely flooded even with rainfall as low as 45mm. The proposed runway will obstruct the draining of the high-lying areas into the Adyar river during the monsoon when much higher rainfall is expected thus flooding the neighbourhood.

2. The expansion extends into the Class I residential area and is very close to the highly populated Manapakkam, Kolapakkam, Gerugampakkam, Tharapakkam, Mugalivakkam, Moulivakkam and Porur thus increasing the noise pollution and the Air pollution causing environmental problems and jeopardising the physical and mental well-being of all the residents in the area.

3. All of the layouts in this region were approved and granted building permission by CMDA only after obtaining necessary clearances including from AAI.

4. Even as per the AAI draft plan the sanctioned extension of the secondary runway requires only 156 acres of land. This small change can accommodate huge volumes in Air traffic up to year 2016 (Civil Aviation Ministries’ Press Release dated 13.11.07).

5. The secondary runway will cater to requirements up to year 2016 when the AAI plans to launch the New Green Field Airport to cater to Air traffic growth up to year 2050. The need for Third Runway (Parallel runway) at the existing Chennai Airport therefore, needs to be re-evaluated.

6. Why is it necessary for the State Government to acquire 1069.99 acres of land for the Chennai Airport expansion when the AAI needs only 156 acres of land, which can be done without affecting any of the residential neighbourhoods? The total acquisition is going to cost the State Exchequer Rs.2000 Crores.

7. This land acquisition is going to cost 1000 families, almost 5000 individuals to lose their property, livelihood and mental well-being.
8. It will affect the livelihood of thousands of families who work in the traditional Brick kilns which are also being acquired for the expansion of the Airport.

9. Access to Pallavaram will be around the expanded periphery of the Airport. The remaining residents are going to face hardship as they have to take a 25 km detour to their workplaces.

Current Scenario

 Govt of Tamil Nadu has issued Notification vide ref GO 108 dt 19/10/07 towards Land Acquisition of 1069.99 acres at Manapakkan, Kolapakkam, Gerugampakkam and Tharapakkam towards Expansion of Chennai Airport to build a parallel runway

 Airport Authority has now decided to extend the existing secondary shorter runway which requires only 156 acres of land so that they can use two runways. This extension may not be as efficient as the parallel runway but will cater to the needs up to 2016.

 The Green Field Airport which is the only proper solution to the Airways development of the City is expected to be ready at 2016.

 The Government of Tamil Nadu proposes however, to acquire 1069.99 acres of land at a cost of more than Rs. 2000 Crores to be given to AAI free of cost.

 The proposed cost of expansion of the Airport until 2016 is estimated as 1800 crores. This is a huge cost considering the duration of usage which is only upto 2015.

 The known fact is that the current Chennai Airport aircraft operation is restricted to a “congested traffic environment” because of the activities in Indian Air Force station in Tambaram, INS Rajaji Naval Air Base in Arakonam, the new Sriperumbudur Commercial training facility, St. Thomas Mount hillock on the flight path and another hill near Tirusoolam railway station with in firing range.


Environmental Hazard Flooding:-

Expansion of Secondary Runway:-

When the Culverts are built across the river the amount of water flowing through the culverts will be only 60% of the normal flow. The airport runway and parking bays will be elevated to avoid flooding. During heavy rain as in 2005, the water will drain into low lying areas like Polichalur, Anangaputhur and Pammal, flooding them.

The Airport being in a low-lying area was flooded in year 2005 and the Airport Authorities had to break the periphery wall to let the water out. (Photos attached)

Construction of Parallel runway:-

The areas of Porur, Mathananthapuram, Moulivakkam etc are higher regions (50 Ft above sea level) and during rain, the rainwater flows from these areas towards Manapakkam, Kolapakkam, Gerugampakkam and Tharapakkam (32 Ft above sea level) to drain into the Adyar river. The parallel runway and peripheral wall will restrict the water drainage into the Adyar causing serious flooding of not only the Airport itself but also the entire neighbourhood.
A similar case where the course of the Methi River is diverted in Mumbai by the Airport expansion is the cause for the regular flood in the city of Mumbai every year.

Flooding poses a serious threat and endanger the lives and property and livelihood of more than 500,000 people living in this area. This is going to be a regular phenomenon every year. This is unacceptable and unsustainable short term development plan just to expand a business establishment. This is at huge costs and hazard to citizens and environment in the long term.

Noise Pollution:- The Aircrafts create a lot of noise eswhile landing and taking off. In this Class I residential area (As classified by Town Planning) during night when air crafts land and take off people will have disturbed sleep which will lead to a lot of complications. This will create a lot of health hazards both physical and psychological.

Even children here will be born with congenital deficiencies due to this. In Hong Kong before the new airport was built the airport was inside the city. Due to the above mentioned noise pollution and its consequences the air port was shut down during nights.

Air Pollution:-The jet fuel exhausts also pose a major contribution to air pollution to the already polluted city. This contributes to the global warming which is considered very seriously by the global community.


Points against Current Expansion:-No where in the world new Airports are built inside the city. In case of our Chennai airport the current expansion plan caters only to a short period of time after which it must be moved anyway to the bigger and better Green Field airport.

1. The expansion of the existing Airport is going to cost Phase I -1800 Crores, Land Acquisition Rs. 2000 Crores and an undisclosed amount in Phase II. All these expenses are being incurred for a short-term benefit of 5 years, after which further expansion is required which is impossible to do inside the city.

2. The Green Field Airport however, is a long term project where the investment required is lower compared to the cost of land acquisition inside the city. Much more land can be acquired outside the city at the same cost thus building a much larger expandable facility.

3. Investing crores of rupees of tax payer’s money for a stop gap arrangement at huge cost to the citizen and environment is a short-sighted and wasteful.

4. If the Green Field Airport is not implemented immediately the place of the proposed area will also be acquired by others and be no longer available to the AAI. Then the New Airport will have to be constructed in a very faraway place.

5. The expansion inside the city is causing a lot of ecological problems and threat to the lives of more than five lakhs people. It is causing the problem to ecology and environment and causing flood to the neighborhoods.

VIABLE ALTERNATIVES

Airport Authorities Predicts around 50 Aircraft movements per hour by the year 2015-16 in Chennai airport for which the current expansion is planned.
This traffic can be achieved by doing the following without expanding the airport.

 Switch to RNP (Required Navigation performance) setup which is satellite based than the existing VOR, which is Radar based. Through this the performance of air traffic control can be enhanced (Gatwick Airport UK, is handling around 80 Aircrafts per hour with single runway). All the Aircrafts are already equipped with this RNP system. Only the ground system is to be installed. Economically this will be much lesser than the cost involved in land acquisition and construction for expansion.

 Use secondary runway for slower ATR aircrafts and main runway for Jets. This can enhance the traffic as ATRs will take more time to land and take off, approx 1.5 times compared to Jet flights.

 Build a wider parallel taxiway and high speed exits in the existing primary runway. This will help Aircrafts clear off the runway much quicker allowing the next flight to land faster.

The above points have been suggested by a renowned columnist and Airfield Expert Capt. Mohan Ranganathan.


Appeal When the actual requirement of land is only around 300 acres according to new proposal by Civil Aviation press release dated 13-Nov-07, the Tamil Nadu State Government acquiring 1069 acres is not justified.

 The Tamil Nadu State Government decision to acquire land in these areas instead of originally proposed area, because of the protest by people of POZHICHALUR supported by their alliance party PMK, is UNILATERAL.

 The current expansion poses a heavy threat of flood in surrounding areas of Pozhichalur, Porur, Madhananthapuram, Manapakkam, Kolapakkam, Gerugampakkam, Tharapakkam and Kovur.

 Since the expansion is only for an interim need until 2015-16, investment can be made only for purposes that are actually required to manage traffic until 2015-16 thus minimizing the financial and social costs as much as possible.

 If the Green Field Airport is delayed then the land for Green Field airport will be available only in the places like Vellore which are very far off from the city due to further development in the currently proposed area. This is not going to help in the economical growth of the city.

 The State Government should consider avoiding distress to the people in this region. The people should not be impacted for the sake of an interim solution that is not really required.

 Hence, the Tamil Nadu State Government should revise the GO dated 09.10.07 for acquiring 1069 acres to what ever is actually required.

 We hope and pray that you will understand our terrible situation and save us from land acquisition.

We the citizens: grandparents, fathers, mothers, sons, daughters and grand children, in tears, solemnly request all assistance possible to save our township and let us live here for ever in peace.