Kurnool: Orvakal Green Field Airport project works hit a road block as land acquisition for the proposed project is missing schedules. Villagers of Pudicherla and Kannamadakala villages who gave their willingness to give land to the airport project now seem to be reneging on it. This has put spokes in meeting the deadlines for the implementation of the project, according to an official who closely monitors the project.
Originally, the government wanted to acquire 83 acres from Pudicherla and Kannamadakala villages in Orvakal mandal of Kurnool district. But so far, the government could acquire 60 acres of land, said the official. Rs 3.92 crores compensation has been paid to 33 farmers for relinquishing rights over 60 acres of land. Government has paid '7.5 lakhs per acre with irrigation or bore well facility and Rs 6.5 lakhs per acre for other lands.
With regard to 23 acres of land in Pudicherla and Kannamadakala, the officials say that there are certain glitches with the ownership rights of the title holders. The actual title holder of the land in respect to these lands appears to be on a different name in the revenue records. Therefore, lack of clear title deeds and ascertaining that who holds the land is causing the delay. The official said that there are multiple claimants for certain extents of lands in Kannamadala village. As these are thorny issues, they cannot be solved within the time frame fixed for the land acquisition of airport.
According to Civil Aviation authorities, in principle permission has been give to Orvakal airport. Unless the land acquisition is complete, this cannot go for next stage of development. Engineers India Limited, a Navarathna company, has been given the mandate to prepare project report. They would be only starting the work once the extent of land availability is made known to them, he said.
Recently Bhogapuram International Airport Corporation Managing Director M. Venkateshwarlu too visited the site and held discussions with the revenue officials over the issue of land acquisition. Deputy Chief Minister K.E. Krishna Murthy along with district officials visited the villages in Orvakal at least three times in the last four months convincing the villagers about the development that would come up in the locality once the airport is made functional.
