The land acquisition process for the expansion of Chakeri airport here has started, a senior official said today.
The airport is expected to be operational again by the end of 2017.
There has not been any flight service from the airport, which is under the control of the Indian Air Force, for the last 3-4 years. As a result, those coming to Kanpur, including VIPs, get off at CCS International Airport in Amausi of Lucknow, at a distance of 71 km, and then, travel by road.
ADM (land acquisition) Asutosh Agnihotri said the district administration has already started the process of acquiring 20 hectares of land in Machaiya village, adjacent to the airport.
Of the 20 hectares, 17 belong to farmers and the remaining three hectares to the Gram Samaj. "Since the administration has decided to pay double the circle rate as compensation to the farmers, they have agreed to sell their land to the state government," said Agnihotri.
Of the 17 farmers, whose land is to be acquired, the process of acquisition has been completed with respect to 12. The entire process of acquisition would be completed and compensation paid in the next 20-25 days, he added.
The compensation for the Gram Samaj land would be remitted to the account of the state government.
Once the acquisition is completed, the land would be handed over to Airport Authority of India (AAI) so that they can start the work to develop Chakeri airport as an international-standard airport, Agnihotri said.
He expressed hope that by the end of next year, flight service would resume from the airport.
