Madras High Court Issues Ultimatum for Madurai Airport Expansion Land
The Madras High Court has delivered a decisive ruling, mandating residents of Chinna Udaippu village in Madurai district to vacate their land within a strict two-week timeframe. This land was acquired by the Tamil Nadu government for the crucial expansion of Madurai airport.
Court's Directive and Government's Rehabilitation Offer
A division bench comprising Justices G Jayachandran and K K Ramakrishnan issued the order, stating that failure to comply would authorize the government to take possession using force under the relevant statute. The court has directed the petitioners to submit consent letters to the district collector within two weeks to receive the government's offer of 2 cents of land.
The collector is instructed to allot this land upon eligibility verification within two weeks of receiving the consent. Furthermore, the court has ordered the issuance of necessary directives for constructing houses at the government's expense, as previously agreed upon in court proceedings.
Background of the Land Acquisition Dispute
The court was addressing a batch of petitions filed by villagers from Chinna Udaippu. The petitioners, representing approximately 300 families from the scheduled caste community, argued that their patta lands were notified for acquisition in 2009 to facilitate the airport's expansion.
Compensation notifications were issued between 2013 and 2020, with distribution completed by 2023. However, the villagers contended that the authorities failed to initiate a proper rehabilitation plan during the acquisition process. Their requests for alternative land, construction of new houses, and government employment for one member of each household were reportedly not considered, leading them to seek court intervention in 2024 to prevent eviction.
Judicial Observations and Project Significance
The judges noted that the state government and the Airports Authority of India (AAI) decided to acquire 633.17 acres of land to upgrade Madurai airport to an international airport, addressing long-standing demands from southern Tamil Nadu. Acquisition proceedings for over 90% of the lands were substantially completed before 2010.
The court observed that the petitioners alone stalled the acquisition and prevented authorities from taking possession of the remaining lands, even after receiving compensation. In response, the Tamil Nadu government implemented a special policy measure, offering two cents of developed land in nearby Perungudi and assistance in building residential houses under the "Kalaignarin Kanavu Illam" rehabilitation scheme.
Court's Final Ruling and Dismissal of Petitions
The bench described the government's actions as "fair, reasonable, and magnanimous" in providing additional compensation and alternative house sites. However, they concluded that the petitioners' continuous objections, despite the government's offer, demonstrated an intention to obstruct the project without bona fides.
The judges stated, "Their continuous objection in preventing the taking over of possession, in spite of the offer by the govt to provide 2 cents of land with a further undertaking to construct the house under the special scheme, establishes their clear intention to obstruct the project without any bona fides under the guise of caste with vested interest." Consequently, the court dismissed the petitions, upholding the eviction order and rehabilitation plan.
