Coimbatore Airport expansion sparks land access row in Chinniyampalayam
Synopsis
Farmers who already gave up land for Coimbatore Airport's expansion now face losing access to what remains. AAI's plan to wall off a 1,917-metre approach road has halted after protests — but with no service roads built yet, the dispute is far from over.
Key Takeaways
Residents and farmers of Chinniyampalayam and Irugur are opposing AAI 's plan to build a perimeter wall along a 1,917-metre approach road to Coimbatore International Airport 's new terminal.
The wall, if built, would block a 20-metre-wide local road that is the primary access route for several agricultural and residential properties.
Land was acquired under a 2010 Government Order; compensation of ₹900 per sq ft (agricultural) and ₹1,500 per sq ft (residential) was paid only in 2020 .
Residents are demanding 10-metre-wide service roads on both sides of the approach road, or acquisition of their remaining properties.
AAI has reportedly paused wall construction; Sulur MLA N.M.
Sugumar has urged the authority to ensure uninterrupted public access.
A fresh dispute has erupted over the expansion of Coimbatore International Airport in Tamil Nadu, with residents and farmers of Chinniyampalayam and Irugur opposing the Airports Authority of India (AAI)'s plan to erect a perimeter wall along both sides of the new approach road leading to the airport's upcoming terminal. The conflict pits critical infrastructure development against the livelihoods of landowners who had already surrendered portions of their property for the project.
What the Dispute Is About
At the centre of the controversy is a 1,917-metre-long and 60-metre-wide approach road being developed from Avinashi Road to the new terminal, passing through parts of RG Pudur, Irugur, and Chinniyampalayam. The road intersects a 20-metre-wide local road that currently serves as the primary access route for several residential and agricultural properties in the area.
Affected landowners allege that constructing walls along the entire stretch of the approach road would sever their only connection to remaining fields and neighbouring roads, including Irugur Road, effectively isolating their properties.
Farmers Speak Out
'We have no objection to a security wall around the airport premises. However, constructing walls along the approach road would effectively block the existing public road and isolate our remaining lands,' said one farmer who had surrendered more than two acres for the airport project and continues to cultivate crops on what remains.
Residents noted that the state government had issued a Government Order in October 2010 for land acquisition related to the airport expansion, but no provisions were made to safeguard access to the lands that stayed with original owners. Compensation was finalised and paid only in 2020, with agricultural landowners receiving ₹900 per sq ft and residential landowners receiving ₹1,500 per sq ft.
What Residents Are Demanding
As a proposed resolution, residents have urged AAI to construct 10-metre-wide service roads on either side of the approach road, mirroring the layout of the existing airport access road. Some landowners have gone further, suggesting that if access cannot be guaranteed, authorities should acquire their remaining properties as well rather than leave them stranded.
AAI Response and Political Intervention
Following the objections, AAI officials have reportedly halted work on the wall and are exploring alternative arrangements. The matter has also been escalated to Sulur MLA N.M. Sugumar, who met with AAI officials and urged the authority to provide service roads to ensure uninterrupted public access.
'Farmers and residents cannot be deprived of their right to access their lands,' Sugumar said, expressing confidence that a mutually acceptable solution would be reached. This comes amid a broader pattern of infrastructure-versus-livelihood disputes that have accompanied airport and highway expansions across Tamil Nadu in recent years.
What Happens Next
With AAI reportedly pausing wall construction, the focus now shifts to whether the authority will commit to service road provisions before resuming work. The outcome could set a precedent for how land-access concerns are addressed in future phases of the Coimbatore International Airport expansion.
Point of View
Not a resolution — without a legally enforceable service-road commitment, the same conflict will resurface the moment work resumes. As Coimbatore's airport bids to become a regional hub, the credibility of that ambition will partly rest on how the authority treats the communities it has already displaced once.
NationPress
30 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are farmers opposing the Coimbatore Airport expansion wall?
Farmers in Chinniyampalayam and Irugur argue that AAI's proposed perimeter wall along the 1,917-metre airport approach road would block the only local road connecting them to their remaining agricultural lands. Many had already surrendered portions of their property for the expansion and say the wall would effectively strand what is left.
What compensation did landowners receive for the Coimbatore Airport land acquisition?
Compensation was finalised and paid in 2020 under a Government Order issued in October 2010. Agricultural landowners received ₹900 per sq ft and residential landowners received ₹1,500 per sq ft for the acquired portions.
What are residents demanding as a solution?
Residents have urged AAI to build 10-metre-wide service roads on either side of the new approach road to preserve public access. Some have also suggested that if access cannot be ensured, authorities should acquire their remaining properties rather than leave them inaccessible.
Has AAI responded to the objections?
AAI officials have reportedly halted work on the perimeter wall and are exploring alternative arrangements, according to reports. Sulur MLA N.M. Sugumar, who met with AAI officials, said he urged the authority to provide service roads and expressed confidence that a mutually acceptable solution would be found.
Where is the disputed approach road located?
The 1,917-metre-long, 60-metre-wide approach road runs from Avinashi Road to the new terminal of Coimbatore International Airport, passing through parts of RG Pudur, Irugur, and Chinniyampalayam in Tamil Nadu.
