Parandur airport: TN govt offers up to Rs 2.57 crore/acre for landowners

CHENNAI: In a major step to expedite the protest-hit Parandur greenfield airport project, which is proposed as Chennai's second international airport, the Tamil Nadu government has fixed compensation rates that are much higher than the guideline value for land acquisition in Kancheepuram and Sriperumbudur taluks.

A Government Order issued by V Arun Roy, Secretary, Industries, Investment Promotion and Commerce Department, has approved a flat compensation rate ranging from Rs 35 lakh to Rs 60 lakh per acre for 1,960.63 acres of land, inclusive of all statutory components such as 275 per cent of the negotiable guideline value and an additional 25 per cent incentive.

This rate applies to lands where the guideline values (GLVs) are between Rs 5 lakh and Rs 17 lakh per acre. In some high-value pockets, the compensation could reach up to Rs 2.57 crore per acre.

The move comes as part of efforts to fast-track land acquisition and ensure a smooth compensation process for the landowners.

The Kancheepuram District Collector has also been authorised to proceed with private negotiations for two specific categories. First, for 374.53 acres where the GLVs fall within the Rs 5 lakh–Rs 17 lakh range but compensation demands exceed the flat rate; and second, for 996.09 acres where the GLVs are higher than Rs 17 lakh per acre.

For landowners unwilling to accept the flat rate, the government has instructed Land Acquisition Officers to follow procedures under the Tamil Nadu Acquisition of Land for Industrial Purposes Act, 1997.

In such cases, compensation will be calculated based on statutory provisions, including the valuation of any standing structures or trees, and supplemented by 100 per cent solatium and a 25 per cent incentive.

The state government has planned to acquire 3,331.25 acres for the Parandur airport project, and the final compensation amounts will vary depending on the specific location and land classification.

The move to fix much higher compensation is being taken to give a fresh momentum to the Rs 20,000-crore airport project, which is envisioned as a key infrastructural boost to the Chennai metropolitan region.

However, reacting to the offer, Parandur airport protest committee members said the villagers would not accept it. According to G Subramanian, who is leading the struggle committee, the land price in the villages has gone up to Rs 2 crore to Rs 3 crore per acre after the project was announced. "The offer from the government is very low (compared to that). We are not ready to accept it," he told DT Next.