The Tamil Nadu government has issued a formal letter to the Airports Authority of India (AAI), agreeing to lease approximately 600 acres of land for the expansion of Coimbatore International Airport. This land will be provided under a 99-year lease agreement, in line with the common practice of offering land for airport expansion to either the AAI or the central government without charge.The Coimbatore district administration has set a target to complete land acquisition by the end of this month. The state government has already allocated ₹2,100 crores for this purpose. However, the land will only be leased, not transferred in ownership, to ensure control remains with the state, especially given recent discussions about the privatization of airport management.
Key conditions imposed by the Tamil Nadu government include:
The land will be leased exclusively to AAI, with no transfer of ownership as was done previously.
The lease amount will be minimal, and the land can only be used by AAI for airport operations.
This decision reflects the state’s cautious approach, ensuring that land control is maintained while supporting the necessary infrastructure development.