Airports in Madurai and Tuticorin will soon get additional land for their ambitious expansion plans.

The Tamil Nadu Government has completed the necessary formalities for acquiring land, and vast stretches will soon be handed over to the Airports Authority of India (AAI). Land acquisition for PPP projects is a two-stage process, involving a preliminary notification and a final one for acquisition.

The expansion plan involves expanding the runways, constructing additional terminal buildings to cater to the increasing passenger movement, the air traffic control tower, and other facilities.

AAI has requested 615 acre in Madurai for the expansion plan. Of the total extent, patta land accounted for 433 acre. The remaining 182 acre of land belongs to the state government. Besides, in Madurai, expansion is possible only if the road leading to Aruppukkottai is diverted.

For the Tuticorin expansion plan, AAI had asked for 586 acre. The Tamil Nadu Government has already issued the preliminary notification. The acquisition notice will be issued soon, and compensation paid to the patta holders before the land is handed over to the AAI.

As part of the expansion plan, AAI also requires 633.34 acre for Coimbatore airport expansion project. For this, the state government has already called for a public hearing.