Tension prevailed near the City Airport area, when a group of residents prevented the district officials from measuring the land for expansion of the airport, a process, which was pending for the last nine years.

The officials from the Land Acquisition department had gone to Irugur and Chinniyampalam to measure the land marked for the expansion of the airport, including the runway, in 613 acre of area. Learning about the visit, some of the residents erected a pandal and hoisted black flags in protest, stating that their houses will be demolished, once the expansion plans begin.

The police removed them from the area, since they had not obtained permission for the protests.

Meanwhile, a group of 200 residents ‘gheraoed’ the officials and asked them to go back, as a case was pending in the court, regarding this issue. They also said that compensation paid to them was very meagre. The owners on the opposite side were however being given 700 times more than what they were getting.

The officials left the place without measuring the land.