Land survey to begin for proposed Greenfield airport in Erumely and Manimala

The Hindu

22-05-2025

Amid concerns over staff shortages and uncertainty surrounding the continued operation of the General Land Acquisition (LA) Tahsildar's office, the Revenue department has initiated physical land survey proceedings in Erumely South and Manimala villages for the proposed greenfield airport project.
According to officials, five surveyors have been deployed to kickstart the proceedings, with the physical survey expected to begin next week. The survey is being conducted under the supervision of Deputy Collector Jinu Punnoose.
'A digital survey was already conducted to estimate the land requirements. The upcoming physical survey is expected to be completed within four to six months. Although we had requested eight surveyors, the government has sanctioned only five,' an official said.
As per the government order, 1001.873 hectares (approximately 2,475 acres) of land are to be acquired for the project. However, the exact extent and corresponding survey numbers will only be finalised upon the completion of the physical survey.
Compensation
Following the survey, a basic valuation statement will be prepared, which will later be followed by a detailed valuation report to determine compensation. Residents will be notified in advance regarding the extent of land to be acquired, the official added.
In addition to the 2,263-acre Cheruvally estate, parcels of land outside the estate boundaries will also need to be acquired. The final list of land parcels to be acquired will be confirmed once the government issues a notification under Section 19(1) of the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (LARR) Act.
Currently, the General LA Tehsildar's office under the Revenue Department in Kottayam is handling the survey proceedings. However, the delay in securing continued approval for the office's functioning have created administrative hurdles in the land acquisition process.
The government, meanwhile, has initiated steps to establish a dedicated Tahsildar office in either Erumely or Kanjirappally and to appoint a special tahsildar to oversee the administrative coordination of the land acquisition process.
STUP Consultants Ltd., appointed by the Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation (KSIDC), is currently preparing the Detailed Project Report (DPR). On completion, the DPR will be submitted to the KSIDC and subsequently forwarded to the Union Ministry of Civil Aviation for further evaluation.