The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Plea to allocate land for installing approach lights

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Friday, Dec 18, 2009
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Plea to allocate land for installing approach lights

P. Oppili

CHENNAI: The Airports Authority of India (AAI) officials at Chennai have requested the State Government to allocate 35 acres near the secondary runway expansion site for installing approach lights.

A decision was taken in this regard at the recently held Airport Environment Committee meeting on Friday.

AAI sources said that they wanted the land for installing CAT-1 Approach Lights. A total of 900 metres from threshold was required for installing the lights.

A senior AAI officer said when they approached the State Government for the land they were informed that it would be difficult to allocate such a vast area as a large number of people living in the vicinity had to be vacated.

Following this, the AAI authorities have changed the plans.

Instead of fitting CAT-1 Approach Lights, they have decided to install Simple Approach Lights on the secondary runway approach path.

The officer said that for installing the Simple Approach Lights, only 400 metres from the threshold was required. The State Government had agreed to this proposal. On Wednesday Revenue officials from the Kancheepuram district along with AAI officials inspected the place. Soon the land would be acquired and handed over to the AAI, the officer said.

A decision has not been taken with regard to closure of the secondary runway for a period of three months to take up the height increasing work, said the AAI officials. Very soon a decision in this regard would be taken after consulting the stake holders, they added.

They said that the existing portion of the secondary runway is at a relatively lower level compared to the height of the extended portion.

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