Citing sources in the Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation (TIDCO), a report says that apart from the cost, a large number of families will be displaced due to the land acquisition and hence AAI was told to prepare a revised proposal. The state has highlighted which land could be acquired and which could not be for the expansion of the airport.

Airport director Dr Sharad Kumar confirmed that the AAI is reworking the proposal. “We are now looking at acquiring 158 acres of uninhabitable land so that the cost of acquisition is less. Only those land which is uninhabitable will be acquired,” said Kumar.

To a query on whether the availability of land being reduced to nearly half would impact the expansion, Dr Kumar said it is too early to tell, adding, “We are still working on the proposal.”

One of the busiest airports in India, Chennai airport is functioning on only 1,317 acres of land, the smallest when compared to other major airports.