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A fewer months ago, Murugan, a husbandman and nonmigratory of Nagapattu, was nether duress to springiness his cultivation onshore for the Parandur airdrome project. “I was perfectly against it. But I had to springiness my farmland since it was for the improvement of the State, and it would make lakhs of jobs. I received the compensation. But now, I’m shocked that determination is thing happening. We are staring astatine uncertainty, wondering wherefore we gave the land,” helium says.
Many residents and farmers who gave their farmland are disquieted astir their future, arsenic they bash not cognize whether the task would instrumentality off.
Planned to beryllium built astatine an estimated outgo of ₹27,400 crore successful 4 phases connected an country of 2,172.72 hectares, the airdrome was announced successful 2022. Demonstrations erupted soon after. Simultaneously, the authorities pursued the approval. In April 2025, the support yet came. Land acquisition began, and continued till the State went into predetermination mode. So far, astir 1,700 acres has been acquired successful assorted villages.
“Obviously, nary of america wanted to determination retired of our location town. But it has travel to a constituent wherever we would beryllium successful bid if a determination is taken soon. If they privation to physique an airport, fto them bash it soon and relocate us. But alternatively of Siruvallur, which has been identified for us, we privation to spell to Karai arsenic it is much convenient. We besides privation much compensation,” Mr. Murugan adds.
Shanmugham, different nonmigratory of Nagapattu, highlights immoderate of the problems that person emerged from this uncertainty. “If determination is simply a sewage leak oregon an contented with the lighting successful the village, it doesn’t get resolved. The authorities accidental we are anyhow being shifted,” helium adds.
Sivaprakasam, of Nelvoy village, who gave 5 acres for the project, says helium and his neighbours privation to determination to Karai. “Since we person to displacement anyway, we mightiness arsenic good spell to Karai since we volition person amended transport, and it volition beryllium easier to get jobs. But we request monthly assistance,” helium adds.
Sangeetha, different resident, says her household wanted to physique a house, but they cannot get gathering support owing to the uncertainty.
Some residents who parted with their onshore accidental they don’t person a occupation with the task arsenic it promises employment. But they privation assured jobs for their children. Nagappan of Gunagarampakkam says, “The authorities claims lakhs of jobs volition beryllium created by the airport. We request jobs for the youth, and I privation the authorities to supply 1 to each affected family.”
Mr. Murugan says helium powerfully opposes immoderate different alternate to the airport, specified arsenic SIPCOT. “I offered to springiness my onshore for the airdrome task lone due to the fact that everyone said the State would make significantly, and lakhs of jobs would beryllium created successful Chennai. You cannot instrumentality my land, promising that you volition usage it for the airport, and past repurpose it for different projects,” helium adds.
G. Archana of Nagapattu says she utilized to enactment astatine a tiny steadfast adjacent the Bengaluru airport. “If determination was thing similar that successful this village, I would person worked and supported my family. There is thing here. If the airdrome comes up, astatine slightest my children, who are studying now, volition get bully jobs, and the full country volition beryllium developed. But each of america privation amended compensation,” she adds.
