Kerala Government Approves Land Acquisition for Sabarimala Greenfield International Airport
This is the second time that the government is preparing to go through the land acquisition process.
In a major step forward for the Sabarimala Greenfield International Airport project, the Kerala state government has issued administrative sanction for land acquisition in Erumeli, paving the way for the ambitious infrastructure development. The order, signed by Additional Chief Secretary K R Jyothilal, authorizes the acquisition of 1,039.87 hectares (2,570 acres) in Erumeli South and Manimala villages under the Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation, and Resettlement (LARR) Act, 2013.
The decision follows a thorough review of the social impact assessment (SIA) report, recommendations from an expert committee, and a detailed report from the district collector. The collector’s report emphasized that land acquisition should proceed under section 7(5) of the LARR Act. The government has also been advised to consider a special compensation package for affected landowners, as suggested by the expert committee.
This marks the second attempt by the state to initiate land acquisition for the airport project. Earlier efforts were stalled after objections from the Ayana Charitable Trust (formerly Gospel for Asia) and local residents, who challenged the validity of the initial SIA conducted by the Centre for Management Development.
The trust and residents raised concerns over the organization’s ties to the state industries department, leading to the revocation of prior notifications. The new order addresses these concerns, ensuring compliance with legal and procedural requirements.
The land to be acquired includes the 2,263-acre Cheruvally Estate, currently held by the Ayana Charitable Trust, affiliated with K P Yohannan’s Believers Church, along with an additional 307 acres outside the estate.
The government will now issue a preliminary notification under section 11(1) of the LARR Act, followed by a detailed land survey to determine precise boundaries and survey numbers. A comprehensive rehabilitation and resettlement package, as mandated by section 19(1) of the LARR Act, will also be declared to support displaced residents.
In parallel, STUP Consultants Ltd, appointed by the Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation (KSIDC), is preparing the detailed project report (DPR) for the airport. Once completed, the DPR will be submitted to KSIDC and forwarded to the Union Ministry of Civil Aviation for approval.