Monday, June 16, 2008

Two airports can make flying risky

CHENNAI: The proposed greenfield airport at Sriperumbudur may not complement but be an impediment to the functioning of the existing Chennai airport. The new airport, planned on 4,823 acres of land at Sunguvarchathiram in Sriperumbudur and Tiruvallur taluks, will lie on the air-corridor and on one of the designated holdover areas for aircraft approaching the current airport at Meenambakkam.

Though the government is going all out with the greenfield project, experts including pilots, air traffic controllers and officials of Airports Authority of India (AAI) are worried that its proximity to the existing airport will restrict the already congested airspace if both airports are used simultaneously.

The location of the proposed greenfield airport is close to the air corridor used by flights taking off and landing on the Pallavaram side of the primary runway of the existing airport. So if the two airports are going to be operational simultaneously, the efficiency of both will be crippled. This is because the Chennai airspace is already restricted by the presence of two limited flying areas - Tambaram, belonging to Indian Air Force, and Arakkonam, belonging to the Indian Navy."

A new airport just 15 nautical miles away (state government says the distance is 25 nautical miles) from the Pallavaram end of the existing airport will provide minimal space to aircraft for manoeuvre," a senior AAI official said. Some officials are not ruling out the closure of the existing airport once the much larger and modern airport is commissioned.

Though specific studies are yet to be carried out, the operations wing of AAI seems to have expressed their scepticism about the project, which means that the greenfield airport could be commissioned only at the cost of the existing airport - something that goes against the government announcement that the greenfield and the expanded Meenambakkam airports would function simultaneously.

Aircraft making their final approach to the existing airport have to be at a height of 1,800 ft to detect signals from the Instrument Landing System. Considering that almost all aircraft land in the city from the northwest or southwest, they would be flying low over Sriperumbudur, which is just 15 nautical miles away. Aircraft taking off from the primary runway will also fly over Sriperumbudur at a height of 3,500 ft before turning towards their destinations.

"Once the new airport opens, the existing airport may not be able to use its 11,399-feet primary runway," said a pilot.Operations at Meenambakkam airport will be further crippled because the restricted airspace over Tambaram and Arakkonam - where defence aircraft fly at 2,500 ft - is not available for use most of the time.

"In other words, the current airport will have to be shut down for safe, smooth and efficient operation of the greenfield airport," said Captain A Ranganathan, a retired pilot. He said the aircraft landing at the greenfield airport might also face the risk of being hit when migratory birds start arriving at Vedanthangal. "I don’t know if the environment ministry will give clearance," he added.

When contacted, K Ramalingam, chairman, AAI, said it was too early to discuss feasibility of having two airports as comprehensive studies were yet to be carried out.Captain Vijay Kumar, secretary of Indian Commercial Pilots’ Association, said simultaneous operations of two airports would be difficult but not impossible.

Abroad, there are cases of airports existing close by, but operations are handled in such a way that they do not clash, he Said.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Chennai/Two_airports_can_make_flying_risky/articleshow/3128160.cms

Sriperambudur airport set for early take-off

New Delhi, June 12: Chennai's proposed greenfield airport is set for an early start, with the Tamil Nadu Government on Thursday making it clear that it would not be able to assure the Centre on the availability of land for the Phase II expansion of the existing airport at Meenambakkam.

According to sources, the Chennai airport’s capacity will be saturated by 2015-16 if the Phase II expansion for upgrading the existing infrastructure does not come through. The only option available to the Centre would be to expedite the process to build the greenfield airport at Sriperumbudur approximately 40 km from Chennai to meet passenger demand.

The matter was brought up at a meeting between the Cabinet Secretary and the Ministry of Civil Aviation while reviewing the projects.The Airports Authority of India (AAI) is already on the job with a techno-feasibility study done for the new airport and will soon get the reports of a study by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).

“Soon after the ICAO study is with AAI, a Detailed Project Report (DPR) will be prepared and with Government clearance land will be acquired for the greenfield airport. While a sort of go-ahead to expedite work on this project has come from the Cabinet Secretariat today, a formal clearance is also likely to follow soon”, said a senior official from the Ministry of Civil Aviation.

The initial phase of the new airport will cost more than Rs 5,000 crore, say sources.

http://www.indianexpress.com/story/322157.html

Tuesday, March 18, 2008

Airport expansion: CM hits out at rivals

In a sharp reaction to media reports, Chief Minister M Karunanidhi on Tuesday castigated his political rivals for the delay in the Chennai Airport expansion plan and asserted that the scheme was not 'entangled' because of some private individuals.

In a statement, referring to a report on airport expansion delay that appeared in a Tamil daily, Karunanidhi said there was not even an iota of truth in it.
.
The news item had alleged that the airport plan was being help up as the lands where the expansion has been proposed was owned by 'important' persons.

The Chief Minister explained that some land owners go to court and easily get injunction.In such cases, it becomes an uphill task to go on appeal and get the final verdict.

'This is the true reason for delay and the airport plan is not 'entangled' because of private individuals', the Chief Minister said.

Karunanidhi also regretted that whatever may be the new project, opposition and objection come in one way or the other.

'My desire is that all such projects must be completed speedily without any delay,' he said.Indirectly hitting out at his rivals, Karunanidhi quipped that if other States were able to complete such projects soon, it was because there were 'not many' who wanted to 'block' new plans.

He also referred to the all-party meeting that was held on airport expansion.

http://newstodaynet.com/newsindex.php?id=5952%20&%20section=7

ஏர்போர்ட் விரிவு: முதல்வர் உறுதி

சென்னை, மார்ச் 18: சென்னை விமான நிலைய விரிவாக்கத் திட்டம் தடையின்றி நிறைவேறும் என்று முதலமைச்சர் கருணாநிதி தெரிவித்திருக்கிறார். தனிப்பட்ட யாருக்காகவும் அரசின் செயல்பாடுகள் தடைப்படாது என்றும் அவர் கூறியிருக்கிறார்.
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சென்னை விமான நிலைய விரிவாக்கத் திட்டம் சிக்கலில் இருப்பதாக பத்திரிகை ஒன்றில் வெளிவந்துள்ள செய்தியை முதல மைச்சர் கருணாநிதி மறுத்திருக்கிறார்.இது குறித்து அவர் இன்று வெளியிட்டுள்ள அறிக்கையில் கூறியிருப்பதாவது:

கேள்வி: சென்னை விமான நிலைய விரிவாக்கத் திட்டம் இடியாப்ப சிக்கலில் உள்ளது என்று செய்தி வந்திருக்கிறதே?

பதில்: அரசின் சார்பில் இது போன்ற திட்டங்கள் விரைவாகவும், தடையின்றியும் நடைபெற வேண்டுமென்பதுதான் என்னுடைய விருப்பம். ஆனால் எந்தவொரு திட்டத்தைத் தொடங்கினாலும், அதற்கு முட்டுக்கட்டைகள் ஏதோ ஒரு வழியில் வரத்தான் செய்கின்றன. மற்ற மாநிலங்களில் இது போன்ற செயல்கள் விரைவாக நடைபெற்று விட்டன என்றால், அங்கே இது போன்ற திட்டங்களில் தடை ஏற்படுத்த வேண்டுமென்று நினைப் பவர்கள் அவ்வளவாக இல்லை என்பது தான். விமான நிலைய விரிவாக்கத்திற்கு அனைத்துக் கட்சித் தலைவர்கள் அனைவரையும் அழைத்து, அதற்காகவே தலைமைச் செயலகத்தில் கூட்டம் ஒன்றையும் நடத்தி அதிலே தான் முடிவெடுத்திருக்கிறோம்.

ஆனால் இந்தச் செய்தியை வெளியிட்டுள்ள நாளேடு, அங்கே கையகப்படுத்தப்பட வேண்டிய நிலங்களில் பெரும்பாலானவை முக்கிய பிரமுகர்களுக்கு சொந்த மானது என்றும், அவர்களால் தான் கையகப்படுத்தும் பணி தாமதமா கிறது என்றும் எழுதியிருக்கின்றது. இந்தச் செய்தியிலே எள்ளளவும் உண்மையில்லை. ஒரு சில நில உரிமையாளர்கள் நீதிமன்றங் களுக்குச் சென்று சுலபமாக தடையாணை பெற்று விடுகிறார்கள். அதுபோன்ற சம்பவங்களில் மேல் முறையீடு செய்து நீதிமன்றங்களின் முடிவைப் பெறுவதற்குள் போதும் போதும் என்றாகிவிடுகிறது.

அதுதான் தாமதத்திற்கான உண்மைக் காரணமே தவிர தனிப்பட்ட யாருக்காகவும் இந்தத் திட்டம் இடியாப்ப சிக்கலில் சிக்கிக் கொண்டிருக்கவில்லை.

1989, 90 ஆம் ஆண்டுகளில் வடசென்னையில் ஒரு மின் திட்டத்தை தொடங்க வேண்டும் என்பதற்காக நிலத்தை கையகப் படுத்த முயற்சி மேற்கொள்ளப் பட்டது. அந்த நிலத்தின் உரிமை யாளர்கள் வி.ஜி.பன்னீர்தாஸ் சகோதரர்கள்.அவர்கள் தர இயலாது என்று கூறிய போது, அந்த இடத்திலே மின் திட்டத்தை தொடங்கி தமிழக மக்களுக்கு உதவிட வேண்டும், எனவே அதனை நிறைவேற்றியே தீர வேண்டும் என்று பதில் கூறி அவர்களுடைய ஒத்துழைப்போடு அந்த இடத்தை கையகப் படுத்தினோம்.முன்னாள் ஜனாதிபதி ஆர்.வெங்கட்ராமனை அழைத்து அந்த திட்டத்தை துவக்கி வைத்து இன்றளவும் அந்த திட்டம் நல்ல முறையில் செயல்பட்டு வருகிறது. எனவே, தனிப்பட்ட யாருக்காகவும் இந்த அரசின் செயல்பாடுகள் தடைபடாது.

http://www.maalaisudar.com/newsindex.php?id=10993%20&%20section=1

Message in Maalaimalar_18_03_2008


CM Confident of Airport Expansion:

Friday, January 25, 2008

Message in New Indian Express 25_01_2008

CHENNAI: The Rs 2,700-crore expansion project of Chennai airport, which is struggling to manage increase in air-traffic, seems to have hit a roadblock.

As acquisition of 1,066 acres of land in Gerugambakkam, Manapakkam, Kolapakkam and Tharapakkam has been caught in a wrangle with the residents, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) has not been able to start the project on time.

As per the Centre’s plan, works — to build a parallel runway, a taxi way and an integrated terminal— should have started early this month.

It was slated for completion in two years, so that the airport would be able to manage the growing traffic till 2016 — when the greenfield airport at Sriperumbudur is completed.

Refusing to comment on the project’s status, AAI chairman K Ramalingam said, “We are holding talks with the stakeholders.”

Meanwhile, residents have met Kancheepuram Collector to urge the government to develop the airport without affecting people.

Link:http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?ID=IE920080124222145&Page=9&Title=Chennai&Topic=0&

Message in Dinakaran 25_01_2008




Message in Dinamani 25-01-2008




Thursday, January 24, 2008

message in DailyThanthi_25-01-2008




New runway not planned: Aviation Ministry

KANCHEEPURAM: The Ministry of Civil Aviation has said that it had only applied for clearance from the Public Investment Board (PIB) for extending the secondary runway at the Chennai airport and not for constructing a new parallel runway.

According to a copy of a reply dated January 7 by the Airports Authority of India (AAI) to queries raised by the public under the Right to Information Act, the AAI seem to have never planned for constructing a new parallel runway on the northern side of the Adyar. Claiming that there were no technical and economic feasibility reports available for the construction of a parallel runway, it said no environmental impact assessment report had been prepared either. Distributing copies of the reply to the press on Thursday, Thamizh Selvan, Balesh and Sumathi of Tharapakkam said they were at a loss to comprehend why the State government was keen on acquiring 1,650 acres of land in Tharapakkam, Kolapakkam, Gerugembakkam, Kovur and Manapakkam.

The AAI had no plans of constructing a new runway . It had not yet obtained clearance from the PIB for the extension of the secondary runway.

“Such being the case, what is the need to speed up the process of land acquisition,” they wondered.

http://www.hindu.com/2008/01/25/stories/2008012553420300.htm

Wednesday, January 23, 2008

"Oragadam model" may be adopted

KANCHEEPURAM: The "Oragadam model" of extending compensation for lands acquired for non-residential purposes is likely to be adopted in the Chennai airport expansion project.
Majority of landowners who have resisted the land acquisition process initiated by the State Industries Promotion Corporation of Tamil Nadu at Oragadam last year, to assist a multi-national company for setting up its production unit, subsequently agreed to relinquish their rights over their lands after the SIPCOT announced a compensation package on a par with the market value.

Enquiries revealed that as far as the Chennai airport expansion project was concerned, agricultural lands formed a sizable portion of the total extent of land to be acquired for the project at Gerugambakkam, Kolapakkam, Tharapakkam, Kovur and Manapakkam, where residential colonies have sprung up during the last two decades.

While the idea of adopting the Oragadam model was being pursued seriously for extending compensation for vacant lands, alternative sites with 'minimum' compensation were likely to be offered to those who had invested in immovable properties at the above-mentioned hamlets, sources said.

Meanwhile, a group of people who have formed the United People's Forum for Survival (UPFS) forum presented a memorandum to Collector Santosh K. Misra on January 21, urging the governments to reconsider the airport expansion project.

UPFS secretary Ms. Brindha said the execution of the airport expansion project would result in environment and ecological problems for those living in the areas abutting the Chennai Airport.
It would also drain enormous amount of the exchequer in the form of compensation.
The Airport Authority and the governments could consider switching over to a satellite-based navigation system to control air traffic instead of the existing radar based system.

http://www.hindu.com/2008/01/23/stories/2008012359490500.htm

Thursday, January 17, 2008

CNN News- Citizen Journalist

http://www.ibnlive.com/videos/56565/homes-first-airport-later-chennai-motto.html

AAI will focus on development of infrastructure

CHENNAI: The Airports Authority of India will focus on improving infrastructure in airports across the country in the coming year to keep pace with the rapid growth in air traffic, K. Ramalingam, Chairman, Airports Authority of India, said on Wednesday.

The AAI has outlined a budget of Rs. 3,400 crore for projects in the coming year, a 78 per cent increase over last year.

The aviation industry grew by a record 33 per cent in 2007, and Dr. Ramalingam said there was an urgent need to prevent a mismatch between infrastructure on the ground and growth in the skies. “We should understand that infrastructure for today should have to be built yesterday,” he said. “We need to build infrastructure to meet the expansion of traffic, and we have to make sure there is no mismatch between technology on the ground and in the airspace.”
The AAI would particularly invest in developing Tier-II airports and execute around 35 non-metro projects. A number of projects were slated for southern airports. New terminals would come up in Madurai, Tiruchi and Coimbatore, and their runways would also be expanded—Madurai’s and Tiruchi’s to 7,500 feet and Coimbatore to 9,000 feet. Airports at Tuticorin, Salem, Puducherry and Rajahmundry would also be developed to allow operations of bigger aircraft.

While several of these projects would be handled on a “turnkey basis,” Dr. Ramalingam said, the AAI would seek to “compete” with the private sector to improve standards.
Chennai’s airport was set to undergo a rapid expansion in the coming months. Some developments were under way—a second cross-runway was made operational last month, and Dr. Ramalingam said it would go a long way in preventing traffic congestion.

Link:http://www.hindu.com/2008/01/17/stories/2008011752990500.htm

Residents stage hunger strike against airport expansion

TAMBARAM: Members of the United People’s Forum For Survival (UPFFS), an association of people living at Manapakkam, Kolapakkam, Gerugambakkam, Thaarapakkam and Kovur villages, staged a day-long hunger strike near the Tambaram Taluk office on Sunday, to protest against the proposal to acquire land for the Chennai airport expansion project.

The protestors said it was planned to acquire vast areas of developed land and also re-route a portion of the Adyar river, for the airport expansion project, the most important component of which was laying a new runway.

They said re-routing the river and building an elevated runway across it would cause severe hardships to residents of these villages and several others.

If the government went ahead with these works, an estimated five lakh people would be affected by flooding.

Land acquisition would affect not less than 5,000 people, Forum members told reporters. A permanent solution to the problem was developing a greenfield airport well outside city limits.

Link:http://www.hindu.com/2008/01/15/stories/2008011554220600.htm

Wednesday, January 2, 2008

Ministry of Civil Aviation 2007: Year-end Review news

Expansion/modernisation of Chennai airport

An inter-ministerial group (IMG) under the chairmanship of secretary, ministry of civil aviation, has approved an action plan for the development of the Chennai airport. The proposal involves expansion of international and domestic terminal building to handle additional 13 million passengers per annum and major airside work, including extension of secondary runway at a total estimated cost of Rs1808 crore, for completion in June, 2010.

For Full article visit
http://www.domain-b.com/aero/gov_reg/20080102_aviation.html

CMDA Approved EVP TOWNSHIP to be DEMOLISHED






250 Houses in EVP Town to be Demolished






EVP Town affected by Chennai Airport Expansion

EVP Town affected by chennai airport expansion