Coimbatore International Airport’s ₹2,200-crore expansion is awaiting final approvals. The Airports Authority of India plans to build a perimeter wall around the runway expansion area, cutting Chinniyampalayam–Irugur Road at two points and SST Mill Road, which serves about 20 landowners with 25 acres. A route linking Chinniyampalayam and Neelambur bypass via Venkitapuram will also be cut off when the approach road is connected to Avinashi Road.

The government acquired 10 cents from Chinniyampalayam resident Ramesh Chinnasamy, including his house and 10 rental units. Access to his remaining 38 cents will also be blocked; he has asked the government to acquire the rest and petitioned the Madras High Court. Eight landowners, including Navaneethakrishnan V. and Jagannathan Palanisamy, have sought a 10-metre road around the wall. AAI told the court it would provide two metres in addition to the three metres of vacant space already outside the wall. Airport Director Mohammad Arif said AAI had conveyed the request for further acquisition to the district administration. A court-directed meeting with nine petitioners, scheduled for August 1, was not held.

Farmers in Coimbatore’s Sulur taluk have opposed using agricultural land for a 70-km gas pipeline from Irugur to Muthur and urged the state government to intervene. They want the pipeline routed along highways.

M Ganesan of Ravathur village said BPCL took 40 cents from his 2.85-acre land for a pipeline about 25 years ago, paying for crops but not the land; no lease agreement was made. Farmers say the new pipeline would affect those who lost land previously.

Esan Murugasamy, president of Tamizha Vivasayigal Pathukappu Sangam, said Chief Minister M K Stalin had promised pipeline projects would follow roads. Farmers objected at a peace committee meeting at Sulur taluk office a month ago, citing reduced land values and agricultural yields. Neighbouring farmland sells for at least ₹2 crore per acre, but affected plots have no buyers and cannot be used for business. The project could affect over 2,000 farmers.

Farmers and residents of Chinniyampalayam and Irugur say the Airports Authority of India (AAI) rejected its assurance to provide a 10.5-metre-wide approach road beside the expanded Coimbatore airport’s perimeter wall. The expansion is expected to cut off existing local access routes, prompting months of protests.

A proposed 1,917-metre-long, 60-metre-wide road would run from Neelambur near Avinashi Road, opposite Le Meridien Hotel, to the expanded airport. Locals sought 10.5-metre-wide service roads on both sides up to the airport campus and along one side to the western boundary near SIHS Colony. AAI reportedly agreed two months ago, pending headquarters discussions in Delhi.

At a District Collector-convened meeting on Wednesday, officials said the proposal was rejected. AAI plans to cover the road area with a perimeter wall, leaving only a 3.75-metre service road, farmers said. About 2 km of right-of-way road is proposed; airport premises would occupy one side for around 1,750 metres, with private land on the other. Residents will continue protesting until AAI provides written assurance.

Engineering maintenance between Coimbatore and Podanur changes services from September 21 to 24.

• MEMU 66615, departing Mettupalayam at 1:05 pm, will run only to Coimbatore; its Coimbatore–Podanur section is cancelled.
• MEMU 66616, departing Podanur at 3:30 pm, will run only from Coimbatore to Mettupalayam; its Podanur–Coimbatore section is cancelled.
• Bilaspur–Ernakulam special 22815 will run via Irugur–Podanur on September 22, bypassing Coimbatore station and stopping additionally at Podanur.
• Bilaspur–Tirunelveli special 22619 will be rerouted on September 23; Tirunelveli–Lokmanya Tilak special 22630 will be rerouted on September 24. Patna–Ernakulam special 22670 will also run via Irugur–Podanur.
• Coimbatore–Jabalpur special 02197, scheduled to depart Coimbatore at 3:10 pm on September 21, will instead depart Podanur at 3:30 pm.

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.