Residents and landowners in Coimbatore have raised concerns that the planned airport expansion could lead to road closures and restrict access to their properties. The project is awaiting final approval.

Coimbatore District Collector Pavankumar G. Giriyappanavar inspected land in Irugur village beside areas acquired for Coimbatore International Airport’s expansion on Monday, after landowners objected to road works. Construction was halted a few days earlier.

The proposed approach road, about 2 km long, will connect the acquired airport land to Avinashi Road near Neelambur. It will be 61 metres wide, with a 40-metre main road and two 10.5-metre service roads. Landowners say walls planned on both sides could cut access to their properties. They asked the Airports Authority of India (AAI) to stop the walls until the road enters land handed over to AAI by the State government, and sought written assurance.

After talks, the Collector directed Airport Director Mohammad Arif to convey the request to AAI. Landowners said verbal assurances had been forgotten before. One owner said he had given over one acre for expansion at a minimal rate; acquisition took over 15 years, and his remaining land abuts the proposed road. Sulur MLA N.M. Sukumar said the concern was genuine and authorities had assured action. The District Revenue Officer in charge of airport expansion and other officials attended.

Coimbatore International Airport expansion work has stalled after residents and farmers from Chinniyampalayam and Irugur stopped construction of a compound wall, citing land-acquisition discrepancies and lost access to remaining properties. District collector Pavankumar G Giriyappanar and Sulur MLA N M Sukumar inspected the site with airport officials after Saturday’s protest.

Residents said more than 50 landowners lack proper road access and demanded a service road before wall construction continues. The original proposal included a 200-foot road, with 40 metres for the Airport Authority of India (AAI) and 10.5-metre service roads on both sides. Residents allege the southern service road is being placed inside the airport boundary and want the Centre’s approval to retain it for public use.

Authorities have offered a four-metre road, which residents say is insufficient for utilities, DTCP approval, ambulances and fire tenders. Padmapriya T, 45, said 10 of her 48.5 cents were acquired, including land with rented shops and rooms, leaving her remaining 38 cents without road access. Sukumar said he would approach the highways minister and that wall work should not proceed without written approval for the 10.5-metre road.

After protests by farmers and residents of Chinniyampalayam and Irugur, the district administration and Airports Authority of India agreed to build an approach road along the airport perimeter only on its eastern side, with a 10.5-metre-wide road for the remaining stretch to SIHS Colony. Farmers had opposed a proposed 1,917-metre-long, 60-metre-wide road, saying the perimeter wall would cut off access to their land. They stopped earthworks on Saturday and demanded an official order before work resumes, as well as a six-lane road with service roads on both sides.

An official said about 2 km of right-of-way road is proposed from Neelambur, opposite Le Meridien Hotel, along an abandoned bypass. It would be 60 metres wide, with 10.5-metre service roads on both sides, and developed by TIDCO. The stretch alongside the airport crosses private land for about 1,750 metres; the airport wall leaves a 10.5-metre road outside it for access to land and SIHS Colony. A roundabout was planned to connect to the L&T Bypass. The state has also ordered acquisition of 7.44 acres for a 200-foot road linking the proposed new airport terminal to the L&T Bypass on the Salem-Kochi Highway. Farmers met Sulur MLA NM Sukumar and district officials to seek an official resolution.