Landowners protests against Coimbatore airport expansion

The state government has taken land from the housing owners of Uppilipalayam for Coimbatore airport expansion, resulting in a protest at the collector office. The landowners urged the district administration to find suitable land for them as a compensation amount would not be sufficient to cover the land price and construction of the building. The protestors said that there were 110 houses on the land parcel proposed for acquisition, excluding the landowners of vacant land who gave their land for construction. Out of the 110 housing owners, 20 people have already got their money. The landowners told the media that their demand for an alternative land was already approved by the district administration in 2017, but now the same has not been considered. The government has already sanctioned the money to be disbursed for the house owners, saying that they would have no place to go. S Chandran, a house owner, said that the compensation includes only the present cost of the land, and nothing will be provided for the building. The owner will have to invest Rs 2,000 sq ft, which is Rs 20 lakh for a 1,000 sq ft house. Other protesters said that the collector in 2017 assured land in Arasur village. He requested the district administration not to fail to keep the promise. If the house owners get land, they can use that money to construct a house. Image SourceAlso read: Coimbatore airport expansion: Landowners asked to submit docs