The Madras High Court has issued an interim stay on the eviction of 130 residents from Chinna Udaippu village in Madurai district, where land acquisition is underway for the expansion of Madurai airport. The division bench, consisting of Justice M.S. Ramesh and Justice A.D. Maria Clete, passed the order while hearing a petition filed by P. Malairajan and 129 other villagers challenging the eviction proceedings. The court has sought a response from the state and has adjourned the matter for further hearing on December 19.
The petitioners, who are residents of Chinna Udaippu village, a settlement primarily of scheduled caste families, have raised concerns about the lack of proper rehabilitation and resettlement during the airport expansion process. According to the petition, the villagers argue that while compensation for land acquisition was completed in 2023, 30 individuals did not receive their due compensation. Furthermore, they contend that the compensation amounts were insufficient when compared to market values, and no resettlement or rehabilitation plans were proposed.
The land acquisition process for the Madurai airport expansion began with a notification in 2009, followed by notifications in 2013, 2017, and 2018 to finalize compensation. However, the petitioners argue that the authorities have failed to comply with the procedures under the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation, and Resettlement Act, 2013, and the Tamil Nadu Acquisition of Land for Industrial Purposes Act, 1997. The villagers submitted a representation seeking alternative land, new houses, and government jobs for one member of each household, but the authorities have not provided any meaningful solution. Earlier, 257 residents had also filed a petition seeking a stay on their eviction, which resulted in an interim injunction by a single bench of the High Court. The petitioners have now requested the court to stay all further proceedings related to the land acquisition, citing the lack of compliance with legal safeguards. The court’s decision to grant an interim stay offers a temporary reprieve for the residents, as they continue their fight for proper compensation and rehabilitation.
