The Madras High Court has ordered a stay on the expansion work of the Coimbatore International Airport based on allegations that the Airport authorities had defaulted in lease payment.

The High Court has stopped the Director of Airports, Coimbatore from doing any construction activities in the land leased out for airport expansion based on allegations by people that the Airport directors have failed in the payment of lease amount.

The interim order was passed by Justice MM Sundresh on a set of pleas from private land owners. Nearly 100 acres of land was leased out to AAI for an lease amount decided according to guideline value fixed by Government but the AAI has failed in its payment even after repeated requests.

They moved High Court after the AAI proceeded with acquisition proceedings of the leased land and started doing construction activities in that land without informing the State Government or land owners. They have also requested the Court to decide the compensation for land to be acquired at Rs.8 lakhs per cent.