Kongu forum chief for airport expansion as originally planned

: Chairman of Kongu Global Forum A Shaktivel Friday appraised Vice-president M Venkaiah Naidu of the need to take up the expansion of the airport here in the originally proposed 625 acres as against the 365 acres now planned.

Shaktivel of the forum, working for the development of the region comprising eight western districts of Tamil Nadu, who met Naidu in Delhi, said the reduction of the quantum of land acquisition would affect future requirements of the region as larger and wide-bodied aircraft would not be able to operate owing to lack of infrastructure.

Stating that the acquisition proposal was reduced to 365 acres due to various reasons which would not meet the actual requirement for the expansion of the airport, the chairman of the forum said that with the rise in air passenger traffic and cargo potential the airlines would not be able to cater to the region for want of space.

The directors of the forum had already represented the case to Union Civil Aviation Minister Suresh Prabhu and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami keeping in view the importance of the issue, he said.