Patel livid over delay in airport expansion

8216;8216;It8217;s not only our responsibility. The State should take action against these illegal slums,8217;8217; Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel told The Indian Express.

8216;8216;The State will have to make up its mind whether it wants development of the airport or slums. This small issue is stalling something which is important to boost the economic development of the city. It is unfortunate,8217;8217; said Patel.

When asked if the State Government had been given a time limit to clear out these slums, Patel said, 8216;8216;It8217;s up to the State Government to decide. The more the delay, it will be the city8217;s loss.8217;8217;

AAI owns around 1,875 acres of land of which 16O acres has been encroached upon by slum dwellers.

According to officials AAI has paid Rs 16 crore out of a total of Rs 24 crore to the State Government for removal of 1,875 hutments. This followed a memorandum of understanding signed with the State Government and the Shivshahi Punarvasan Prakalp SPP in 2000 by which the latter would have cleared some 300 metres of airport land and constructed a compound wall.

There was a dispute over whether some 50 hutments were eligible for rehabilitation, and subsequent encroachments have since increased the claims. AAI paid the Rs 16 crore to SPP in two installments in February 2001 and July 2002 respectively.